What Happens in Vegas
by sel1006
Summary: AU - Jane and Maura have a drunken one-night-stand in Vegas, but are unprepared for the consequences when they wake up and realize exactly what went down.
1. Chapter 1

As soon as Jane opened one eye, she knew she was in for the worst hangover of her life. Slamming her eye shut again, she brought her hands up to her face as she waited for the dizziness to pass. _Oh God_ -she thought- _how much did I drink last night? Shit. I can't even remember. _Jane groaned and rolled over onto her stomach, trying to recall the previous night's events. The small movement intensified the churning feeling in her stomach, and she took a few deep breaths in hopes that the nausea would pass.

After waiting several minutes, Jane finally felt brave enough to open her eyes, and mustered the strength to sit up slightly. The curtains were pulled tightly across the hotel window, blocking out all light and preventing Jane from being able to figure out what time it was. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room and she glanced around, taking stock of the disaster zone. A collection of beer bottles and plastic cups littered the table in the corner of the hotel room. There were clothes strewn all over the room, and Jane was able to pick out the dress she had worn out last night lying in a crumpled heap by the door. Her eyes followed the trail of discarded clothing, noting her bra and underwear as well as a pair of sexy black lace underwear that were decidedly not hers. Another dress was dangling precariously off the end of the bed.

Sitting up proved too much for Jane in her hung over state, so she slumped back over into the soft pillows. Even in her fuzzy mind, it registered that if all her clothes and underwear were on the floor, she must be naked. She lifted up the wrinkled sheet to confirm that she was indeed, jaybird naked.

While the sheet was lifted, she also noticed she was not alone in the bed. _That explains the other clothes_ – Jane thought. A pair of shapely legs were resting next to hers, and Jane followed their delicate line up to a nicely toned ass. Her eyes lingered appreciatively for several seconds, mentally congratulating herself, then her eyes roved further, taking in the gentle curve of the woman's hip and the expanse of skin of her back and shoulders, milky white but with a smattering of freckles. The woman was on her side facing away from her, so Jane couldn't see her face, just a mass of beautiful honey blonde hair that spread across the pillows.

Jane grinned to herself and settled back into the pillows. Another wave of nausea hit her, and wiped the grin right off her face. She groaned again and waited for it to pass.

The mystery woman shifted in the bed, stretching briefly then repositioning herself, still asleep. She ended up on her stomach with her face towards Jane, who was finally able to get a good look at the blonde woman. A few strands of hair had fallen over her face, but Jane was struck with how beautiful she was. The woman had striking but delicate features, with a distinctive nose and a soft, womanly jawline. Jane's eyes lingered on the set of lips before her, somehow remembering how those full lips felt against hers.

_Well, you could do a lot worse for a drunken one-night-stand in Vegas_ -Jane mused. The woman shifted again, her left hand appearing from under the pillow. Jane's eyes immediately fixed on the gold band that rested on the woman's fourth finger, and her heart skipped a beat. That ring wasn't just any ring, but certainly looked like a wedding band to Jane. _Holy shit! I slept with a married woman!_

Her heart began to beat faster as she struggled to process the situation before her. Waves of nausea assaulted her relentlessly, and she ran a shaky hand through her dark curls, trying once again put together the pieces from last night. The nausea became too much, and Jane flung herself out of bed and stumbled as quickly as she could toward the bathroom.

Jane spent several agonizing minutes hunched over the toilet, the alcohol she had consumed in excess last night taking its revenge in earnest. When she had emptied her stomach, she slumped over next to the toilet, the cool bathroom tile and the bright florescent light overwhelming her sluggish senses. She sat there for quite some time until she felt like the worst was over, and then got to her feet. _Remind me never to let Frost convince me that Vegas is a good idea ever again._

She turned on the faucet and rinsed her mouth out, the cool water washing away the bitter taste. Jane cupped her hands and splashed some on her face, hoping the coolness would help remedy the fuzzy feeling in her head. She bent over the sink, letting the excess water drip off her face and reached for the hand towel that was hanging on the wall. Drying off her face as she straightened up, she finally got a good look at herself in the mirror. Jane gasped as she took in her disheveled appearance, but her heart started to beat faster when her eyes locked on her hands, still clutched around the towel by her face.

On her ring finger sat a gold band, identical to the one that was currently on the finger of the mystery woman in her bed.

Jane's head was reeling as she dropped the towel like it was burning.

"What the fuck!?"

* * *

**Hey all, I am back! Just throwing this out here to see what kind of response it gets. I have several more chapters written for this, so let me know what you think so far. This story will be A/U and will take some creative license with the characters and such. Let me know what you think, and I should have another chapter up later today or first thing tomorrow. Enjoy!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Got a good response from the first chapter, so here we go with the rest. Bear with me, this story is going back a bit to set up the story before we continue with what happens in the first chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

_Two days prior…_

Maura Isles sat down in her seat and buckled the seat belt across her lap. After she was situated, she pulled out several medical journals from her bag and began to read while the rest of the passengers filed onto the airplane. As a rowdy group chanting "Vegas! Vegas!" moved past her and toward the back of the plane, Maura was grateful she had a seat in first-class where it was likely to be quiet. She was looking forward to the five-hour plane ride and the quiet time before they got to Las Vegas.

If Maura was being honest, she was less than thrilled that the yearly International Pathology Society conference had decided that Las Vegas was the designated city for this year's gathering. Maura cringed at the idea of smoky hotels full of tacky slot machines, and the hordes of drunken party-goers that she was sure she would encounter. She had never been one to partake in the party scene in college or medical school, but it also hadn't helped that she was always a few years younger than her peers since she had graduated high school at age fifteen. Her studies had always been her first and foremost priority, and now that she was set to begin her residency, she knew that she needed the extra time to study.

Maura sighed, experiencing a fleeting moment of regret. At age twenty-three, she was quite successful, having just completed her intern year at Harvard Medical School. But even as most of her colleagues and classmates were off celebrating the one-month break between their internship and the beginning of their chosen residencies, Maura was off for more education, opting to attend a three-day conference, before returning to work at a local medical examiner's office for three weeks to gain more experience. Sometimes she wished she was "normal" and could jet off to tropical paradise with several friends to enjoy the break, but that just wasn't Maura. She turned in her seat and watched as the rowdy group moved to their seats, high-fiving each other and looking quite carefree.

Turning back around, Maura returned to her medical journals, allowing herself to be swept up in learning as the plane filled up. Before she knew it, the plane had pushed back from the gate and was hurtling down the runway and into the air. Eventually, the gentle movement of the plane caused her eyes to droop, and she fell asleep.

* * *

"Hey Rizzoli…"

Jane turned her head to respond and felt a tug on the collar of her shirt. A second later she was gasping as ice cubes slid down her back before settling against the waistband of her jeans.

"What the hell Frankie!?" She yelped, while squirming in her seat and trying to un-tuck her polo shirt from her jeans to remove the offending ice cubes. She eventually extricated them and tossed them at her brother Frankie, who was sitting to her right. She threw him her best dirty look and leaned across him to flip off her buddy Frost, who was sitting across the aisle. "You guys are assholes. Seriously."

"Calm your tits Rizzoli!" Crowe called out from his seat behind her. "You better get ready, the shit's gonna hit the fan when we get to Vegas!" His words elicited cheers and whistles from the other guys who were already halfway drunk just one hour into the flight.

Jane rolled her eyes and crossed her arms tightly in front of her body. She was going to be spending the next three days with these idiots. All of them had just graduated from the police academy, and it was apparently tradition that each graduating class goes on a trip together after graduation. She wasn't sure whose genius idea it was to go to Las Vegas, but one thing led to another, and here she was, trapped on a plane with a bunch of drunken idiots. At least she had her brother Frankie and her buddy Frost.

She had spent the past two years working her butt off at the academy. All her hard work had paid off, and she had graduated at the top of her class. Jane had already been offered a job working for the Boston Police Department, but she was looking forward to gaining experience as quickly as possible in order to move towards her goal of becoming a homicide detective. She knew she was in it for the long haul though, expecting to put in long hours and pay her dues as she worked her way through the ranks. But she was certainly no stranger to hard work.

Truthfully, although the majority of the guys she was traveling with were jerks, she was looking forward to having a few days off. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind, with final rounds of examinations, weapons qualifications, and physical fitness testing. Jane grinned as she remembered how she had kicked all the guys asses in each category, and how proud her parents had been when she walked across that stage in her dress blues to receive an achievement award.

_Maybe Vegas won't be so bad-_ she thought to herself- _Blow off some steam with the guys, maybe play some slots…It's only three days, how bad can it be?_

Frankie turned to her and grinned apologetically. "Sorry about the ice." He started. "The guys put me up to it."

Jane slugged him hard on the arm and grinned back. She was glad Frankie was along for the ride, and was grateful that they had been able to come up through the academy together. When Jane announced her intent to enroll in the police academy after finishing a couple years at a local community college, her parents were a little upset. It wasn't until Frankie, fresh out of high school, decided he was going to enroll too that her parents finally conceded.

"It's fine Frankie. I'll get you back at some point." She reached for the small plastic cup of water on her tray table and shook it menacingly. They shared a laugh and settled back into their seats, after Jane dug around in her seatback pocket and located her iPod and headphones.

Jane turned up the volume to drown out Crowe's obnoxious laughter. She allowed herself to relax as she queued up her favorite playlist. Shutting her eyes, she began to drift off to sleep, one final thought passing through her head before she fell asleep:

_Ten bucks says one of these idiots will end up married when the three days are up. It is Vegas, after all. I wonder which one of these fools it will be…_


	3. Chapter 3

_One day prior…_

Maura sat at her table, picking at her breakfast and looking over the notes she had taken at the afternoon sessions yesterday. The conference had been quite interesting so far, and she was enjoying the review, memorizing each technique that they had described. She was so engrossed in her studies that she was unaware of the other patrons at the hotel buffet and the rowdy group seated at a large table next to her.

"Come on Rizzoli! Grow a pair and do it." Crowe goaded. "I told you she would chicken out…" He smirked at the other guys around the table.

Jane rolled her eyes. "I'm not chickening out." She hissed. "I'm just trying to find someone worth this awkward moment…" She muttered under her breath.

Her eyes scanned the area before settling on a blonde sitting by herself a few tables away. Jane watched her for a few seconds, noting the papers spread out on the table in front of her, and her breakfast lying forlornly to the side. The woman was flipping through the pages intently, her lip between her teeth in concentration. Something about this woman piqued Jane's interest, and in a rare moment of impulse, Jane decided this woman would be worth the awkward encounter.

"Today, Rizzoli…" Crowe tapped his watch. "Just do it. You won't ever see her again. You knew the terms of the bet. Do it!" He gave her a not-so-gentle shove away from their table.

"Alright! Alright, I'm going…"

So far the guys had been pretty good, but last night in the club Jane had a few too many and accidentally let slip that she was into women, and the guys had been trying to set her up relentlessly ever since. And right now, she was sincerely regretting letting that information slip. But she knew they weren't going to let this go, so she took a deep breath and moved toward the blonde woman's table.

Maura didn't notice Jane walk toward her table, as she was so engrossed in perusing the conference schedule and deciding which sessions to attend for the day.

Jane stood there waiting for Maura to recognize her presence for several seconds. When it was clear the woman was oblivious to her standing there, Jane cleared her throat nervously.

Maura finally pulled herself away from the conference material and looked up, surprised to see an impossibly tall brunette standing in front of her. Jane was struck silent for several seconds, surprised by how beautiful this blonde stranger was._ Shit. She's gorgeous. _–Jane thought-_ This is gonna make it way worse when she rejects me._

"Can I help you?" Maura questioned, stealthily appraising the stranger in front of her. The brunette was tall and lean, and dressed casually in a white tank top and cutoff jean shorts that were just the right length to emphasize her long legs. Her eyes were fixed on the carpet. When the woman spoke, her voice was deep and raspy, and rather unexpected.

"Um, yeah. Sorry to bother you, but can you do me a favor?" Jane finally looked up, and Maura was surprised by the intensity in her dark eyes.

Maura frowned, caught off-guard by the innocuous question. Jane saw this and shook her head, holding up her hand in apology and beginning to turn back toward her table.

"You know…never mind. This was a stupid idea. I can't believe the guys talked me into this. Sorry to bother you." Jane mumbled.

"No! Wait!" Maura reached out to grab Jane's arm, preventing her from walking away. Jane whipped back around, and Maura noted the blush that was creeping across her tanned face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to respond quite like that. Your question caught me off-guard." She smiled weakly. "What can I help you with?"

Jane shoulders slumped slightly in defeat and she ran a hand through her damp curls. When she looked up again, she decided to just tell her the truth.

"See that group of guys over there?" Jane gestured over her shoulder at the group of guys not-so-subtly watching their interaction.

Maura nodded. They reminded her of the fraternity guys at BCU.

"Okay, so basically they are a bunch of jackasses that bet me I wouldn't ask a stranger for their number. And God, I never do this kind of thing, but they wouldn't let it go." Jane wrung her hands nervously. "But I saw you sitting here by yourself, so I figured I would just get it over with." She finished lamely.

Maura let this information sink in before looking up at Jane again. She looked positively miserable, like she wanted to bolt at any second. Maura leaned back in her chair and glanced at the group of guys, giving them a little wave and a coy smile. She couldn't help but chuckle at their reaction, and saw Jane visibly relax at the sound of her laughter. Deciding to take sympathy on this stranger before her, and deciding she was a little bit flattered that a stranger was asking for her number, Maura pulled a pen out of her bag and began to write her number down on a napkin. When she was done, she put the cap back on the pen and slid the napkin across the table.

"We can't have you losing a bet now, can we?" Jane's eyes widened as she grasped the napkin. "How did you end up with that pack of wolves anyway?"

Jane smiled as she folded the napkin and tucked it in her back pocket. "We just graduated. All of us…from the police academy."

Maura raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Oh! Congratulations…um, sorry but I didn't catch your name."

"Oh shit!" Jane blushed again before extending her hand toward the blonde. "I am really making myself look like an idiot here. Jane….my name is Jane."

Maura grasped the hand in hers, shaking it gently before releasing it. "Well then, congratulations Jane. My name is Maura, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Jane finally allowed herself to smile, and Maura finally got a good look at her stunning features. She could feel a flush starting to creep across her cheeks, and she quickly busied herself with collecting the papers all over her table.

"Well, thanks for being a good sport Maura and defending my honor." Jane rocked on her heels. "I'm sorry for bothering you. Enjoy your day." She flashed another gorgeous smile at Maura and turned to leave.

Jane wished she could kick herself as she turned away and headed back towards her table. _Real smooth Rizzoli –_she thought to herself - _Christ…could that have gone any worse?_ She forced herself to grin and pulled the napkin out of her pocket and waved it in Crowe's face.

"Eat it Crowe." She growled, to the cheers of the other guys at the table.

Maura watched the interaction out of the corner of her eye, a smile playing on her lips for several seconds. She shook her head, collected her things, and headed back to her room. While in the elevator, she found herself wishing that this Jane person had really asked her out, before shaking her head again to put the idea out of her mind, convincing herself that this was just a random encounter and nothing would come of it.

Just as she was pulling her room key out of her pocket, she felt her phone chime, indicating she had a text message. She fumbled with her key and opened the door, and once she was in the room, pulled her phone out of her pocket. The message was from an unknown number, but Maura couldn't help smiling when she read it.

_Just wanted to apologize for our awkward moment back there. I promise I am not always that awkward ;) Thanks for being a good sport. –Jane_

Maura paused for a minute, wondering if she should respond or not. Before she came to a decision, the phone chimed again, with another message.

_So…the guys and I are going out tonight. I know you are a total stranger, but if you don't have plans you should join us. Just throwing it out there._

Maura contemplated Jane's proposal. With the busy conference schedule, she was fairly certain that she wouldn't be able to make it out later. And besides, she was there to learn, not to party with a group of complete strangers. Sighing, Maura typed her response, figuring out the best way to let Jane down easily.

_Sorry, but I am here for a conference and likely won't be out early enough to join you. Thank you for the offer though. –Maura_

She waited to see if there would be a response from Jane, but after several minutes there was nothing. Maura busied herself getting ready for the day, and headed out to the conference.

* * *

A couple floors away, Jane groaned and threw her phone onto the bed beside her, burying her face in the soft pillows. She knew she didn't really have much of a shot, especially with how things had gone at the buffet, but some small part of her was wishing that she would be lucky enough to score a date for the night. And Maura was ridiculously gorgeous, so that would have been good to rub in the guy's faces.

Another pillow landed beside her head, and she rolled over, seeing Frost standing in the door that joined their rooms.

"Hey, you ready to go? There is a cold pool and a bucket of beer calling my name down there. We need to get there before the others and get a cabana." He was wearing his bathing suit and had a towel slung over his shoulder.

Jane grinned and sprang up off the bed, chucking the pillow back at Frost. "A bucket of beer sounds fantastic right about now. Give me a sec, I just gotta change."

She threw on her bikini and board shorts and headed out for some fun in the sun with the guys. A few beers later she had forgotten all about her awkward encounter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Glad to see you are all enjoying this so far! Thanks for all the reviews. This has been fun to write so far. I am busy for the next couple days, but will try to get the next chapter up ASAP. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

_Later that night…_

"_Baby please…just hear me out!" _ Garrett was pleading, but Maura had lost all patience with him.

"No Garrett! I have nothing left to say. You lost all chance to explain anything to me when you slept with someone else." Maura hissed into her phone. She was trying to keep her cool since she was in the lobby of the conference center surrounded by other conference attendees, but was failing miserably.

"_Maura please! Doesn't our relationship mean anything to you?"_

Maura laughed. "Clearly our relationship didn't mean anything to YOU, Garrett, that much is clear. It's over Garrett. And this conversation is over. Goodbye."

She disconnected the call and took a shaky breath. The situation that had unfolded over her break had stunned her. A strange text from Garrett had piqued her curiosity, but it soon became clear that the text was meant for another woman. The downward spiral had continued from there, as he had tried to play it off when she confronted him.

Maura sat down on a bench in the lobby and tried to compose herself. Anger was coursing through her body and she knew she needed to clear her head as the next session was starting in fifteen minutes. Garrett had humiliated her and had shown no regard for their two-year relationship. She tossed her phone into her bag unceremoniously and took a few more cleansing breaths.

After ten minutes on the bench, the conference attendees were filing back into the auditorium and Maura was still planted on the bench. She decided to give herself one more minute, and then head back into the conference. But after the minute was up, she stood, smoothed out the wrinkles on her skirt, and headed out into the stifling heat and onto the Strip.

As she walked past the hotels, all lit up and glowing garishly against the desert sky, she thought back to her encounter with Jane this morning. Jane, who had come to Las Vegas to celebrate with her friends, to enjoy being young and reckless. As much as Maura had appreciated the pathology conference for its educational value, as she watched the groups of people, both young and old, cavorting down the Strip, she suddenly felt as though she was missing out.

Impulsively, Maura pulled out her phone and brought up the texts from Jane. _Tonight_- Maura thought- _I am going to go out. With people my own age. And forget about Garrett._ Before she could talk herself out of it, she quickly typed a message to Jane.

_Hi this is Maura. Does your offer still stand? My plans have changed and I could use a night out._

She continued down the Strip toward her hotel, and after a few moments, her phone buzzed. It wasn't a text message but a call, so Maura hit the "accept" button and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" Maura could hear loud music in the background.

"Maura! It's Jane! I got your text." Maura smiled as she could tell Jane had obviously been enjoying a few drinks. "You should totally come out and join us! The more the merrier!"

"I am headed back to the hotel to change, but I should be able to meet you in the next hour our so. Which club are you at?" Maura was feeling surprisingly bolder with each second.

"We are at Tao. Somehow my buddy Frost managed to score us some VIP tables so just text me when you are here and I will come get you. Hurry up, you gotta get on my level!" Maura could hear the guys cheering in the background.

Maura had to hold back her laughter. "Okay, I will be there as soon as I can. See you in a bit."

"Okay…see you soon gorgeous!"

Maura assumed that last comment was a result of the alcohol and disconnected the call. She entered the hotel lobby and was already planning her outfit by the time the elevator arrived. _Here goes nothing_- she thought.

* * *

There was a large crowd gathered outside the club when Maura approached. She pulled out her phone to text Jane and let her know she was there. As she waited, she pulled a small mirror out of her clutch and took one last glance at her makeup. Nerves and excitement had her buzzing, and she was just pulling the hem of her dress down a bit when Jane appeared in the doorway next to the bouncer.

It took every ounce of effort Maura had not to stare open-mouthed at the leggy brunette in front of her. Gone were her cutoff jeans and tank top, and Jane was standing before her in a form-fitting black dress, with a deep-v front that showed off the small amount of cleavage Jane had, as well as a good amount of olive toned skin and exquisite exposed clavicles. The dress stopped mid-thigh, and showed off Jane's long legs. A pair of sexy heels completed the ensemble, and Maura couldn't believe that this was the same woman she had randomly encountered this morning.

"Maura! You made it! Come on in!" Jane waved her over. "She's with me." She announced to the bouncer, who lifted the red rope to let Maura through. Maura felt a hand on her lower back as Jane ushered her into the club.

Jane was trying to contain her grin as she led Maura through the crowd of sweaty club-goers. She kept Maura slightly in front of her and stealthily appraised and appreciated how Maura's olive green dress hugged her in all the right places, especially her ass. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but just a few seconds with Maura had Jane revved up. _ Keep it cool Jane…keep it cool_- she reminded herself as they entered the VIP section. Most of the guys had vacated the area and were out on the dance floor trying their best to get lucky.

Jane sat down on the leather couch and gestured for Maura to join her. Maura scanned the room as she sat down, taking in the pulsing music, the movement of the crowd on the dance floor, and the flashing lights. Jane was taking in another sight, the newly exposed skin on Maura's thigh as her dress rode up when she sat down. Jane forced herself to look away and took a generous sip of her gin and tonic.

"So" -Jane grinned- "Can I buy you a drink? Pick your poison, you have some catching up to do."

Maura couldn't help but notice the dimple that appeared when Jane smiled. Something about Jane was intriguing, and Maura couldn't put her finger on it.

"Um, surprise me. Make it something strong though, it has been a rough day." Maura admitted.

Jane raised an eyebrow and took another sip of her drink. "Drinking to forget, huh?" She leaned in close to Maura, and Maura could smell a mixture of alcohol and Jane's perfume. "In my experience, that never ends well…" She said, adding a wink for emphasis, before motioning for one of the cocktail waitresses.

Maura's drink arrived a short time later, and the two women drank in silence for several minutes, sneaking glances at each other as they did. Jane was feeling the effects of drinking non-stop for the majority of the day and night, and couldn't help but be attracted to the beautiful blonde sitting beside her. The more Maura sipped her drink, the more she felt relaxed, and she eventually turned to talk to Jane in the attempt to get to know her a bit, but the music was so loud it was hard to carry on a conversation.

"Thanks for inviting me Jane." Maura started. "It's nice to be out with people my own age for once."

"Thanks for coming. It's not everyday I get to go out with a gorgeous blonde." Jane took another sip of her drink. "I thought I blew it this morning, ya know."

The alcohol coursing through Maura's veins had her feeling particularly flirty. "Well then," –she said, raising her cocktail glass and smiling seductively- "Here's to second chances."

Jane clinked her glass with Maura. Several of the guys chose that moment to come back and sit on the couch, but Jane and Maura were oblivious to them. The alcohol was flowing freely and the chemistry between the two women was undeniable. Subtle touches led to gentle caresses, and before they knew it, Jane had leaned in close to Maura, who had somehow ended up sitting on Jane's lap. Garrett Fairfield was the last thing on her mind as she closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against Jane's, tasting the piney flavor of gin as her tongue slid across Jane's lips. She felt Jane's hands wrap around her waist and pull her in, allowing her better access to kiss her back.

They spent several steamy minutes exploring each other, before pulling back breathless. Both women struggled to compose themselves as their lustful arousal was quickly becoming amplified by the warm nightclub and the alcohol. Jane groaned as Maura slid off her lap, running a hand through her hair in frustration. But she watched in appreciation as Maura threw back two shots, one after the other, and held out her hand.

"Let's dance."

Jane didn't hesitate and followed Maura into the throng of sweaty dancers. They made their way into the center of the floor, the music pounding in their ears. Jane could feel the bass pumping in the center of her chest. She watched in awe as Maura began to dance, allowing herself to get caught up in the music. Jane's eyes were glued to Maura's hips that were moving fluidly in an extremely sexy way.

Maura noticed Jane standing there, and reached out to grab Jane's hands, placing them firmly on her hips. She leaned in as close as she could to Jane.

"Dance." She ordered, practically having to yell to make herself heard. She felt Jane start to move along with her, pulling her close and pressing their hips together.

That was the last thing Maura remembered. The feel of Jane's slim hips pressed against hers, the scent of alcohol, sweat, and perfume creating an intoxicating atmosphere. She allowed herself to get caught up in the movement, enjoying the feeling of Jane's lips as they explored every inch of exposed skin on her upper body as they moved in unison. She wasn't thinking, but instead allowed herself to be swept up in the raw sexuality that Jane was exuding.

The last thing Jane remembered was Maura whispering: "Let's get out of here." between increasingly sloppy kisses, as Jane had her pressed up against the bathroom wall.


	5. Chapter 5

**Here you go with the next chapter. A lot of you were waiting for the shit to hit the fan, so here it is. Oh, and for the sake of the story, we are assuming that same-sex marriage is legal in Nevada. For some reason, I think they only recognize civil unions and domestic partnership, but for the sake of the story, we are saying same-sex marriage is legal. Over and out. **

* * *

_Back to the present…_

"What the fuck!?"

Jane's legs started to feel wobbly and she sunk to the floor. Her head dropped between her knees, as bits and pieces from last night started to come back to her. Most of yesterday was a blur, since Jane had started drinking before noon and pretty much didn't stop. She vaguely remembered the club, and how things had gotten pretty hot and heavy between her and Maura. Maura. Her interactions with Maura earlier in the day came flooding back to her. Jane squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to will the rest of her memory back. _Fuck_-she thought-_I am never drinking again. _

_Maura…oh God, I hope that she is the chick in my bed _-she panicked-_How much of a slut to I have to be to have started the night with her and ended it with a complete stranger? It's gotta be Maura, right?_

She jammed the heels of her hands into her eyes in hopes that she could wake up a bit more and figure out what the hell had happened. As her hands dropped back down to rest in her lap, she took another look at the ring on her finger, swallowing back another wave of nausea.

Her stomach settled after a few calming breaths, and Jane stood on shaky legs to make her way slowly back to the bed. As she flopped onto the bed, her eyes caught a glimpse of her phone sitting on the bedside table. _That's it!_ – she thought excitedly- _We have been taking pics right and left so far…there's gotta be some evidence from last night on there!_ She reached out to grab her phone, but was stopped in her tracks when the phone didn't turn on. _Maybe I turned it off?_ Jane held down the power button to turn it on, and still nothing.

"Shit!" Jane hissed, dropping the phone back down on the table with a loud clatter. "Where is the damn charger when you need it?"

She threw a pillow over her face and groaned loudly in frustration, forgetting all about the person lying beside her.

Jane stiffened when she heard a long, drawn-out moan from the other side of the bed. She felt the bed shift and pulled the pillow off her face, looking down and confirming that the woman beside her was, in fact, Maura. That was, somehow, oddly comforting for Jane, and she breathed a small sigh of relief.

Maura's eyes opened slowly, hazel eyes focusing on Jane for a few seconds before she moaned again and shut them.

"O-oh god…everything hurts." She groaned, while flinging one arm over her eyes. "I didn't know that alcohol could make you feel as though you had been run over by a train."

"Yeah…tell me about it." Jane muttered. "I feel like shit and have absolutely no friggin' clue what we did last night."

Maura opened one eye tentatively, and then decided it was safe to open her other one, glancing over at Jane who was looking quite pale. She bit her lip and tried to recollect last night's events.

"Well the last thing I remember was dancing with you in the club, but after that I have no idea." -Maura started, as she took in the mess that surrounded them- "Although, the evidence would suggest that you and I also slept together at some point…" She lifted the sheet as Jane had done to confirm what she already knew.

Jane pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to alleviate the headache that was pounding relentlessly. "Evidence"- she snorted- "What does this fucking _evidence_ suggest to you Maura?" She held up her left hand in front of Maura's face, pointing to the ring on her finger with a shaking hand. "Oh, and maybe I should add that I have never seen this ring in my life before now…" Jane said sarcastically.

In her severely hung-over state, it took several seconds for what Jane was implying to register with Maura. Jane watched as realization dawned and her hazel eyes widened in panic.

Maura sat up as quickly as her sluggish body would let her and raised her own left hand for inspection, her heart beginning to thunder in her chest as she realized she was wearing a matching ring. She swallowed thickly and shut her eyes, trying to think of every logical explanation for the ring on her finger. It quickly became clear that her fuzzy state of mind was not helping and she opened her eyes to find Jane staring at her.

"So Sherlock…what does _this_ evidence suggest?" Jane questioned again. "Because I'm freaking out over what _I_ think it suggests…"

Maura was finding it extremely hard to process what was happening, let alone form any coherent thoughts. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she held up her hand to inspect the ring again. When she had gotten a good look at it, she reached out for Jane's hand. Jane complied, and Maura got a good look at what was clearly an identical ring to hers.

They both flopped back against the headboard, and Maura required several calming breaths to stop the panicked feeling fluttering in her chest. It was several moments before Maura spoke.

"Jane…did we…did we get married last night?" Maura whispered incredulously.

Before Jane could respond, Maura's phone chimed and two sets of eyes whipped toward the direction of the phone.

"You, uh, gonna get that?" Jane asked, secretly hoping they would have an excuse to search through Maura's phone to find whatever clues they could about last night.

"No." Maura responded quietly. "It's probably Garrett and I don't have the time or energy to deal with him at this point in time."

Her phone chimed again.

"Maura…answer your damn phone." Jane said through gritted teeth.

Maura huffed but leaned over to grab her phone from the bedside table. As she picked it up and looked at the screen, Jane saw her freeze suddenly, eyes wide in shock.

"Oh my God…" Maura whispered.

"What? What is it?"

Maura didn't respond, but instead passed the phone to Jane, whose eyes widened as well when she saw the picture that was now Maura's lock screen.

There, on the small screen was a picture of Jane and Maura kissing underneath a sign that said "Just Married". Jane saw Maura's hands fly up to cover her face in embarrassment, and she put the phone gently down on the bed between them.

They sat in stunned silence, letting the confirmation of what had apparently happened wash over them. Jane felt like she was going to throw up again, and this time, not from the alcohol. She pulled her long legs up toward her chest and wrapped her arms around them tightly.

"Maura, I think we need to look at the pictures on your phone." She said hoarsely. Maura's hands dropped from her face and hazel eyes regarded her nervously before she slowly nodded. With trembling hands, she picked up the phone and typed in her password, before pulling up her photo album. She slid over to sit next to Jane as they began to piece together exactly what had happened.

The pictures started out harmlessly, with several shots of Jane and Maura dancing together in the club, a few of the whole gang lined up at the bar doing Jagerbombs, two or three more risqué ones of Jane and Maura kissing in the bathroom, and one of Frost and Frankie slumped over on the sidewalk outside the club.

After those pictures came the ones that incited a steady stream of expletives from Jane and caused Maura's heart to beat increasingly faster with each swipe of her index finger.

One of Jane hanging off Maura outside a white building that said "Sin City Chapel" on it.

One of Frankie wearing a tuxedo t-shirt emblazoned with the words "Best Man" on it.

One of Frost wearing a similar t-shirt emblazoned with the words "Maid of Honor" on it.

One of Jane standing next to an Elvis impersonator, a black top hat perched jauntily on her mass of curls.

One of Maura walking down the aisle, looking spectacularly gorgeous, even with a tacky white veil on and clutching a bouquet of plastic flowers.

One of Jane and Maura kissing while fake Elvis played air guitar behind them.

One of their hands intertwined- Maura's smaller, paler hand in Jane's larger, tanned one -obviously showing off their matching rings.

And finally, the one that they had already seen, of the two of them kissing underneath the "Just Married" sign.

The two women were too stunned to do anything but click off the phone and stare off into space.


	6. Chapter 6

**Holy balls...y'all are super into this, huh? I am so excited you are all enjoying this and waiting for each new chapter. Thanks for all your reviews as well. I read every single one and they are super encouraging, and make me laugh too. And for the record...I can attest that Jagerbombs are essentially the worst idea known to man. I mean, I didn't get married in Vegas, but Jagerbombs never end well :)  
**

**One reviewer asked if this takes place before the series...yes, it does. Jane has just graduated from the academy and Maura is starting her residency so that places it several years before the start of season 1.**

**Here's the next chapter...enjoy!**

* * *

Both women sat in stunned silence for what felt like an eternity. Jane was staring at the gold band on her finger while Maura had slumped over and buried her head in her hands. It wasn't until Jane heard muffled sobs coming from the other side of the bed that she was able to shake herself back into reality. She turned towards Maura and saw that she was obviously crying, her shoulders shaking slightly as she sobbed as quietly as possible.

Even though Jane was feeling like she could cry too (she was generally not the crying type), she felt obligated to comfort Maura. Sliding over to close the distance, she tentatively wrapped her arm around Maura's bare shoulders. Surprisingly, Maura didn't pull away, but instead sank into Jane's embrace, and wrapped her arms around Jane's waist. Letting out a deep breath as they settled together, Jane let Maura continue to cry, feeling each sob that wracked Maura's body.

_God, I can't believe I let this happen. _–Jane mentally berated herself. _I feel like the world's biggest idiot right about now. What do we do now? Divorce…annulment? _She had to stifle a laugh that worked its way out as she thought of herself being a 23-year-old divorcee. _Being angry about this won't solve the problem_- Jane realized – _Let's be calm and figure this out. _She continued to hold Maura until it seemed like she had calmed down.

"Is the idea of being married to me _that_ upsetting? I'll have you know, I'm quite the catch." Jane said dryly, trying to lighten up the mood a bit.

Maura let out something that sounded like a half-sob, half-laugh. She wiped at the tears on her face before shaking her head.

"No Jane, it's not that…I-I just can't believe I let this happen. My family is going to be so ashamed."

_Oh shit! _– Jane thought – _I didn't even think about what will happen if Ma finds out! It will kill her…either that or she will kill me…_ She shuddered as she pictured her mother's reaction. _No…she can't find out. We'll get this taken care of and she'll never even know. _

"It takes two to tango Maura. I am just as much to blame as you are." Jane replied. "But I think all the alcohol we had to drink may have had something to do with it too."

Maura shook her head again, this time more forcefully, and she raised her head to look at Jane, who could see the anger and confusion in her eyes. "No…I should have known better. This should never have happened." Maura could feel the panic rising once again and it was quickly threatening to take over all coherent thoughts. "I shouldn't have gone out with you. Y- you're basically a complete stranger!" She pulled her arms away from Jane and moved to sit stiffly on the edge of the bed, her back to Jane. "Meeting you…t-this…this is the biggest mistake of my life." She said quietly.

Her words sparked something within Jane, who stood up and, after rifling through her suitcase, hastily threw on a t-shirt and running shorts. She then moved to clean up the mess, throwing the empty beer bottles and plastic cups into the trash with more force than was necessary.

"Yeah, well…this isn't exactly in my top-five-proudest-moments either, Maura." Jane muttered, throwing a beer bottle into the plastic bin with a satisfying clink. "Let's just move on and figure this shit out." She turned back to face Maura, who was gathering up her discarded clothes. Jane couldn't help but see the tears that were making their way down Maura's face once again, and she looked so upset that Jane felt her anger melt away. She put down the trash bin and took a few steps toward Maura. "Come on Maura, we will figure this out. Can I buy you dinner tonight? We can talk it out over dinner or something."

Maura clutched her clothes tightly to her naked body, tensing up as Jane moved toward her. She briefly contemplated Jane's proposition, but shook her head and began to get dressed, first putting on her discarded bra and underwear, then shimmying back into her now-crumpled dress. She wiped the tears from her face and shook her head again, refusing to meet Jane's eyes.

"I'm sorry Jane…I-I can't. I have to go. I'm supposed to be at the conference." She briefly allowed herself to look at Jane to gauge her reaction, noting the anger in her brown eyes before dropping her own hazel eyes back to the floor. "I'm sorry…I have to go." She repeated, bending down to gather her heels, and moving towards the door.

"Maura, wait, please! We have to figure this out sometime. We can't just go on pretending that it didn't happen, because it sure as hell did!" Jane had lost her patience and her fiery temper was getting the better of her. She crossed the room in several long strides and put her hand against the door to try and prevent Maura from leaving. Her ring thwacked against the door solidly, the sound almost mocking the two of them.

"Please Jane, let me go" Hazel eyes met brown once again, this time pleading for Jane to let her through. Even though Jane knew better, she lifted her hand and took a few steps backward, watching as the beautiful blonde walked away from her. She got one last glimpse of Maura as she turned back over her shoulder before she got to the elevators. "I have your number. My lawyer will be in touch." She said quietly, before disappearing around the corner.

Jane slammed the door in disgust, picked up a beer bottle and hurled it against the wall. Glass pieces rained down over the carpet as Jane flopped down onto the bed, defeated. She rolled on her back and stared up at the ceiling as anger coursed through her body. _How could I have let this happen? And how can she just walk away like that? This problem isn't gonna fix itself!_

She raised her head when she heard the door adjoining her room to Frost and Frankie's open. Both men appeared in the doorway, looking decidedly worse for the wear, Frankie's brown hair sticking up in all directions and Frost looking as though he wanted to vomit at any second.

"Trouble in paradise Janie?" Frankie asked casually. "Where's your wife? Don't tell me you lost her after less than twelve hours."

Jane was up like a shot, crossing the room in two long strides and before anyone could react, her fist had connected with Frankie's jaw. Hard.

"Ow! What the fuck Jane!?" Frankie howled, doubling over in pain and holding his hand to his jaw. Frost intervened, pushing Jane back down onto the bed and going to examine Frankie's jaw.

"Don't give me that crap Frankie! How could you and Frost stand by and let me make such a stupid decision!" Jane yelled.

Frankie looked incredulous. "Are you serious right now? Frost and I tried to talk you out of it at least a dozen times but you wouldn't listen. Tell her Frost!"

Frost nodded emphatically, sitting down next to Jane on the edge of the bed. "He's right, Jane. We did, but you wouldn't take no for an answer. And then you insisted that we were going to be in the wedding too." He admitted quietly.

Jane slumped over and put her head in her hands. She was so embarrassed. "Fuck!" – she yelled – "What the hell am I supposed to do? Wait…who else knows? Oh God, please tell me that Crowe wasn't there…"

Frankie shook his head, still rubbing his jaw. "Naw, they all left after the club and we were the only ones that were there."

There was a small amount of comfort in the fact that all of the guys hadn't witnessed her epic show of stupidity, and Jane took a few deep breaths before raising her head. "She left you know. Maura. She panicked and bolted before we could really talk about it." Jane realized the ridiculousness of the situation and laughed. "Shit…I don't even know her last name, or where she is from. How the hell am I supposed to take care of this?" She reached down and slid the ring off her finger, toying with it for a few seconds before curling her hand around it. "What the hell am I supposed to do?"

Frankie sat down next to her and put his arm around her, giving her a comforting squeeze. "Hell if I know, Janie. But we will figure it out. How about we clean up and grab some food. Maybe that will help…Or, maybe, we could call Ma and she can help you figure it out…" He poked her teasingly in the ribs.

"Ow! Frankie…don't you dare." Jane raised her head to give her younger brother a death glare, but quickly realized from his small grin that he was kidding. He pulled his arm from around her shoulders and raised both hands in surrender.

"Just kidding Jane. Your secret is safe with me. Honest. Right Frost?"

Frost nodded. "I promise Jane. We won't tell anyone."

Frankie stood up and stretched. "Besides…even if I told Ma, I think she would kill me too just because I was there." He grinned at her again. "Come on, you two bums…let's grab some food. And maybe some booze."

Jane and Frost both groaned, causing Frankie to burst out in laughter, before his face became serious and he rubbed his stomach. "I'm just kidding guys. I would be happy if I never drank again, and I think you two just confirmed you feel the same way. Meet you downstairs in thirty Jane?"

Once Frost and Frankie had retreated back to their room, Jane shut the door and headed to the shower, after depositing the ring onto her bedside table. She didn't have much time, but was hoping that the shower would help her to ease some stress and give her time to think about a plan of action to figure this whole mess out. She took as long as she could and finally stepped out, clean, but still without a plan.

Jane had just finished getting dressed when she heard a knock at the door. It was probably Frost letting her know that they were heading down. "I'll be down in a minute!" She called. After running a hand through her damp hair, she took a final glance in the mirror before grabbing her room key and opening the door. She paused in the doorway when she heard a crunching sound under her foot. Lifting her flip-flop clad foot, she noticed a small envelope on the carpet just outside her door.

Curious, she picked up the envelope and opened the flap. Inside was a gold ring. Jane had a suspicion she knew exactly where the ring came from, but tipping the envelope over, the ring spilled out onto her palm. Once it was out, Jane was able to confirm that the ring was Maura's. She slipped it into her back pocket and made her way downstairs.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks for all the feedback on the last chapter. I agree that Maura's reaction was definitely cold and cringe-worthy. Hopefully this chapter will explain a bit more. **

**Just so people know where this is headed, I am definitely going to flesh this out quite a bit and continue the story. And just so you know, I am starting my training towards becoming a firefighter in a couple days, so updates will likely become less frequent. But my training is not full-time, so I am anticipating still being able to update at least once or twice a week. Just FYI.**

**Thanks for reading! Enjoy.**

* * *

Maura couldn't sleep. After tossing and turning for several hours, she finally gave in and sat up against the headboard, clicking on the light. She reached for the book on the bedside table, noting the time on the clock as she did. 3:43am.

Sighing, she opened the book and began to read, but after only a few paragraphs, closed it again and put it down on the bed next to her. She was too distracted. Ever since leaving Jane's room earlier, she had been unable to focus on anything. She had gotten ready to head out to the conference, thinking that it would be a welcome distraction after the fiasco from this morning, but somehow ended up back on her bed crying. Maura had remained in that position for several hours, crying until she felt like she had no more tears.

Now Maura was just embarrassed. Not just over the whole situation, but also embarrassed about how she had reacted. She was, of course, not looking forward to the conversation with her parents about her Las Vegas nuptials, as she knew it would likely become a scandal within their social sphere. Maura's family was a prominent Boston family, and Maura's recent ties to the Fairfield family were only going to make the backlash worse.

Even though Maura was well aware of the damage control that would likely have to happen with her family's legal team, she was more concerned with how she had left things with Jane. It was an understatement to say that Maura had reacted poorly, and she knew that. The disappointment and anger that she had seen in Jane's eyes as she rounded the corner toward the elevator had been haunting her ever since.

Truthfully, Jane had handled things well in Maura's eyes. Yes, she was curt and bordered on rude a few times, but in the end had wanted to work it out and figure out a solution. _And I just shut down_ – Maura cringed – _and I shut her out. _She reached for her phone and after a moment of hesitation, pulled up her photo album once again. She scanned the pictures once again, pausing for several seconds on one of the pictures of her and Jane dancing at the club.

A smile played across Maura's lips as she looked at the picture. She could actually remember this moment. Jane and her were pressed up against each other, Jane's hands resting low on Maura's back, while Maura's were around Jane's neck. Their foreheads were practically touching, and their eyes were locked on one another. If you looked closely, you could see that both their mouths were slightly open, as if they had just kissed or were about to kiss. Just looking at the picture, it was easy to see the attraction between the two young women.

Although she didn't want to think about it, Maura had to admit that she had felt the attraction between Jane and herself. But now that she had screwed things up, she knew the reality of the situation was that she would never see Jane again. They would take care of the legalities via correspondence or over the phone, and that would be it. _I wish we could start all over_ – Maura thought – _I wish that this hadn't been just a one-night-stand and that I could have gotten to know her. I need to make this right. But I don't know how to…_

* * *

Maura's alarm blared loudly and she shot upwards in the bed, reaching out to silence it. She rubbed her eyes and rolled out of bed and moved toward the shower. Her flight back to Boston was leaving in a few hours and she needed to get ready to head to the airport. The effects of her mostly sleepless night were causing her to move slowly, but she eventually showered, dressed, finished packing, and was in a cab to the airport before she knew it.

The situation with Jane was still weighing heavily on her mind as she waited in various lines in the airport. _I'm going to call her as soon as I land_ – she decided.

Maura was sipping her much-needed coffee in the seating area near the gate when a familiar figure passed by. She stood up quickly and tried to get his attention without causing a scene. "Frankie? What are you doing here?"

Frankie spun around, and frowned when he saw it was Maura. "I could ask you the same question. You have some nerve being here after what you did to my sister." He whispered fiercely.

"What do you mean? This is my gate, I'm waiting for my flight to Boston to board."

Frankie's eyes widened. "Wait, flight 2355 to Boston? You've got to be kidding…"

"No, I'm not kidding, flight 2355 is the one I'm waiting for." She replied.

He sighed and grabbed her arm, pulling her roughly toward the large glass windows that overlooked the tarmac. "Looks like we are on the same flight then. Look Maura, you better make yourself scarce before Jane gets here. You really did a number on her!"

Maura tried to pull her arm away. "Wait…you mean to tell me that you're from Boston?" Her brain was working overtime struggling to process this information. "And Jane is going to be on the flight too?"

Frankie rolled his eyes. "What are you stupid? Didn't I just say that?" He finally released her arm. "I guess what I'm trying to say is don't make this worse than it already is."

As Maura nodded, an idea popped into her head. "Hey Frankie, how does a seat upgrade sound?"

* * *

_Where the hell is Frankie?_ –Jane thought, as she settled into her seat, fastening the seat belt. _He took an earlier taxi with some of the guys, he should have been here before us._ She pulled out a magazine and started to read while she waited.

"Is this seat taken?"

Jane pulled her gaze away from the magazine and looked up. Her eyes widened in surprise when she took in the blonde woman standing in the aisle, clutching a small suitcase. And not just any blonde woman…Maura. Jane willed herself not to react to seeing Maura standing there in front of her.

"My brother is sitting there." Jane muttered, returning her gaze to the magazine.

Undeterred by Jane's response, Maura put her carry-on suitcase into the overhead bin and sat down in the seat next to Jane.

Jane was more than irritated at this point, and looked up from her magazine again. "Didn't you hear what I said? Frankie is sitting there."

Maura turned to face Jane, studying her features before responding. "No…Frankie is sitting in my seat in first class. I traded seats with him." Jane's eyes locked on hers for several seconds in a steely glare. "Look Jane…I wanted to talk to you, and this seemed like the best way to do it."

"Great"-Jane huffed- "So stalking me seemed like the best way to do it? What kind of crazy person gets on the same flight just so they can talk?"

Maura waited several seconds before responding. "This is my flight Jane. Honest. I live in Boston." She watched as Jane processed this information, seeing some of the anger fade away as Jane turned to face her. "Look…Jane, I'm sorry about how I reacted yesterday. I just wanted to talk to you and try and figure this whole 'situation' out. When I saw Frankie in the airport and we realized we were on the same flight, it just seemed like a good opportunity."

Jane snorted. "By forcing someone to sit next to you for five hours? Great plan Einstein."

Maura smiled wistfully. "Yes…well, maybe it wasn't the best plan, but I couldn't wait any longer without apologizing for my behavior yesterday. I feel awful Jane."

Jane shrugged indifferently, and Maura took the opportunity to continue.

"I'm sorry Jane. Truly. It was a lot to process all at once. Without going into too much detail, our impulsive decision has a lot of implications for my family, and the idea of bringing shame to my family was overwhelming."

"Yeah, well, my Ma isn't going to be too happy about this either." Jane admitted. "Look Maura, I get it. You panicked. We made a stupid, impulsive decision. But you should have manned up and talked to me. We have to figure this out! I don't even know your last name for christsakes!"

Maura nodded slowly. "You're right." She turned in her seat to face front again. "It's Isles…by the way." She offered.

"What?"

"My name is Maura Isles. Or, at least it was…I suppose it may have changed after, well…you know…"

The two women were quiet as the plane finally pulled away from the gate and took off towards Boston.

The sudden sound of Jane's quiet laughter caused Maura to turn slightly to see what Jane was laughing about. "Jane?"

Jane composed herself after a few more chuckles. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't laugh. I was just thinking about how we don't even know our last names right now. I mean…you could be Maura Isles…or maybe Maura Rizzoli. Or maybe I am Jane Isles now…who the hell even knows! It is so ridiculous that all I can do is laugh."

Maura found this notion sad, not funny. Jane noticed Maura's face fall and how she had started to chew on the inside of her cheek. She reached out impulsively and grabbed a hold of Maura's hand, linking them together and resting their hands on the armrest between them.

"Sorry Maura. I didn't mean to laugh. We'll figure this out, okay?"

Maura was surprised by the amount of comfort she got from holding hands with Jane. She allowed herself to relax back into the seat and after taking a quick glance at Jane, rested her head on her shoulder. Jane flinched at first, but after several seconds a smile bloomed across her face.

"Jane?"

"Yeah?"

"At some point, when we get to Boston and go our separate ways, can I take you up on the offer for dinner? To figure this mess out of course…" She added quickly.

"Absolutely. You have my number, after all…" Jane replied, glad that Maura couldn't see the small smile that had turned in to a full-faced one.


	8. Chapter 8

Jane sighed loudly as she stood at her position next to the yellow crime scene tape, arms crossed in frustration. She had been assigned to secure the perimeter of the crime scene, and wasn't happy about it. Frankie had gotten to go with the homicide unit into the deserted warehouse to search for evidence and she was stuck outside in the searing summer heat, making sure that no one entered the crime scene. She could feel a drop of sweat that was making its way down the back of her neck, and she tugged at the collar of her dress uniform which was uncomfortably tight. Jane reached up and pulled off her uniform cap, brushing the layer of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand before replacing it.

She kicked at a rock on the hot pavement in front of her, and looked up when she heard a vehicle approaching. She watched as the white Medical Examiner's van pulled into the abandoned lot and parked among the multiple police cruisers. Jane watched as the driver's side door opened and the Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Benton stepped out. Jane and the rest of the new police officers had met him briefly at their orientation a couple of days ago, and Jane couldn't help but wonder how the old guy was still allowed to work. _Man, this guy is older than dirt _ – she mused, as she watched the ME walk slowly towards her, moving slowly due to his hunched over posture.

Dr. Benton fished around in his pocket for his ID badge and after what seemed like an eternity, finally got around to holding it up so Jane could take a look.

"Afternoon Dr. Benton." Jane lifted the yellow tape so he could enter the crime scene.

Dr. Benton grunted in response and puttered away toward the warehouse entrance, muttering something under his breath about the new recruits looking too young. Jane smirked and let the tape drop back down to its normal position, but her head snapped up when she heard another car door slam. Her heart began to beat faster when she saw a familiar blonde walking towards her.

* * *

Maura blew a strand of sweaty hair away from her face as she hopped down out of the passenger seat, and grabbed a couple of equipment bags from the back of the Medical Examiner's van. She had been at her internship for three days and so far the only thing she had learned was that Dr. Benton was extremely grumpy and had no desire to be teaching her anything. _Well, bad experience is better than no experience, right? _–Maura justified as she lugged the bags in the direction of the officer standing by the crime scene tape. As she got closer to the patrol officer, her heart caught in her throat when she realized the officer was Jane.

Jane, who she was still married to.

After the flight a few days ago where they had smoothed things over, they hadn't been in contact. Jane had mentioned that she was going to be a police officer, but Maura certainly hadn't anticipated that she could possibly be a police officer at the department where Maura was completing her internship.

As she walked closer, she discretely took in the sight of Jane in a police uniform. Although the uniform downplayed Jane's athletic and toned body, Maura couldn't help but notice how sexy Jane looked in her uniform. _Focus, Maura _– she chided herself – _Keep it all business._ Maura put on her best professional front as she took the final few steps toward Jane.

"Uh…Maura, hi." Maura couldn't help but notice the look of confusion on Jane's face.

Maura didn't answer right away, but instead fumbled around in one of the bags looking for her ID badge. She finally located the plastic badge and fished it out, then handed it to Jane, finally meeting her eyes as she did. "Hi Jane."

Jane scanned the ID badge that Maura had handed her. _Maura Isles, M.D. – Intern, Office of the Medical Examiner_- the badge read. As Jane took in that information, immediately a thousand questions began to swirl around her head.

"What are you doing here?" She blurted out, holding the ID badge out for Maura to take.

"I work with Dr. Benton. Well, actually I am his intern for the next three weeks, until I return to my residency. I'm in school to become a Medical Examiner." Maura watched as Jane nodded slowly, still looking as confused as ever.

Jane pulled off her uniform hat again, wiping her sweaty brow once more. She didn't replace it, but instead fiddled with it distractedly while she processed the situation as best she could. Maura shifted the strap of one of the bags on her shoulder and looked down at the pavement.

"You didn't tell me you were a doctor." Jane said quietly.

"You didn't tell me you were from Boston. Or that you were going to be working at the Boston Police Department." Maura responded, raising one eyebrow in challenge.

Jane's face flushed pink, but Maura couldn't tell if it was embarrassment or just the high temperature that was the culprit. Maura exhaled and let one of the bags drop from her shoulder. "I suppose that in the heat of the moment, getting to know each other wasn't exactly our priority." She offered.

Jane laughed unexpectedly, the sound breaking the awkward tension between the two women. Maura couldn't help but smile as she watched Jane laugh.

"Sorry…I didn't mean to laugh, it's just that this situation gets more ridiculous every time I see you. I mean…what are the odds that two strangers who meet in Las Vegas live in the same city and work in two closely related fields, end up married and then meet up a few days later at a crime scene?" Jane shook her head in disbelief.

"Well, seeing as Boston proper is a city of approximately 636,000, and there are usually several thousand tourists in Las Vegas at any given time…" Maura trailed off as Jane's jaw dropped open. "Oh…you meant that rhetorically, not literally." Maura blushed and looked at the pavement once again.

"Dr. Isles! Are you coming? How am I supposed to do my job if my intern is incapable of bringing me my equipment?" Dr. Benton yelled gruffly from the entrance of the warehouse.

Maura slid the strap of the bag around her shoulder again and looked up at Jane. "I have to go." She smiled wistfully. "Sorry it was such a shock to meet like this."

"Well, it certainly didn't beat the shock of waking up next to you and finding out we were married." Jane teased, earning another smile from Maura. "About that…are you free tomorrow night? We really need to get together and sort this shit out." She lifted the yellow tape to allow Maura access into the crime scene.

Maura turned to face Jane once inside the perimeter marked by the tape. "Yes…I would like that." She smiled tentatively at Jane.

"Ok cool…how about I pick you up around eight? Text me your address tomorrow and I will pick you up. We can grab some dinner and talk and stuff."

Maura nodded her assent. "That would be fine. I have to go…but I will see you tomorrow Jane." She moved towards the warehouse, but turned around after only a few steps. "Jane…"

"Yeah Maura?"

"Y-you should make sure you drink a lot to replenish your fluids while you are out here. It is very hot and you could get dehydrated very easily."

"Thanks Dr. Isles. I'll keep that in mind." Jane grinned as Maura disappeared from view.

* * *

Maura was pacing in her living room when the doorbell rang. She paused in front of the mirror in her foyer, smoothing down her skirt one last time and making sure her makeup looked perfect before placing her hand on the doorknob. She paused for a minute, composing herself mentally, before twisting the handle and opening the door to reveal Jane leaning casually against the wall just outside the door. Jane pushed off the wall swiftly and smiled in greeting as Maura stepped out into the warm summer evening air.

"Wow…you look…gorgeous." Jane looked down at her own outfit of jeans and a striped button-down Oxford shirt, which was decidedly more casual than Maura's. "Do you always look like you are coming from a photo shoot or something? You know we are just going to grab dinner in the North End, right?"

Maura smiled as she turned to shut and lock her front door, catching a glimpse of her black Louboutins. "I guess I may have gotten a bit carried away…should I change?"

Jane was quick to reach out her hand and grab Maura's, preventing her from reaching for the doorknob again. "No! No…you look great. I was just teasing. Really." Maura's heart fluttered at the reassuring smile on Jane's face. "Come on, we have an 8:30 reservation at my favorite place. I hope you like Italian." Jane led her down the steps and into the passenger seat of her Jeep.

The conversation was light as they drove, eventually parking Jane's car on a side street in the North End and walking a few blocks to a small brick-front restaurant. Jane took her hand once again and led her inside, nodding in greeting to a few people and making their way through the noisy restaurant and back outside onto a small patio. Once they had gotten to their table, Jane pulled out one of the chairs and gestured for Maura to sit down. It was quiet out on the patio, with only a few other tables in the immediate vicinity, and Maura loved being outside on what was really the perfect summer night. Her eyes turned back to Jane, who had called the waiter over, and was speaking to him in perfect Italian.

Jane noticed the strange expression on Maura's face once the waiter left to get their drinks. She dropped her head, slightly embarrassed for some reason, then looked at Maura again. "My family is Italian. My Nonna taught me to speak it when I was a kid, but I also took a couple semesters of it when I was in college."

Maura nodded. "Yes, with a name like Rizzoli, I figured you were likely Italian. You speak Italian very well, your pronunciation is excellent." She watched as Jane's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"You speak Italian too?" Jane took a sip of the water the waiter had just placed in front of each of them.

"I do. Not as well as you though." Maura smiled. "I spent a lot of time in Europe as a child, so I picked up several languages through my time there."

Jane took a moment to study the woman, _her wife, she suddenly remembered,_ across from her. There was a lot they didn't know about each other. The purpose of this dinner was to sort things out in regards to their stupidity in Vegas, but Jane pushed that into the back of her mind and leaned in towards the stunning blonde. "Tell me more about where you grew up Maura."

The two women spent a couple hours getting to know each other, talking over glasses of wine and steaming plates of pasta. Maura got to know all about Jane's family, laughing at several of her stories involving escapades with Jane and her brothers. Maura wanted to know about Jane's police training, so they spent some time chatting about that. Jane was intrigued by Maura's European travels, so they talked for quite a while about it, learning about the boarding school that Maura attended for most of her childhood and how it allowed her to see the sights in most of the major European cities.

They talked until the restaurant closed, and Jane took Maura's hand, leading her through the darkened streets back to her car. They spent the drive back to Maura's place in contented silence, both women sneaking glances at one another as Jane's car wound through the Boston streets.

Maura had just turned to open her door to head inside when she felt Jane grab her hand as she had done earlier, causing Maura to turn around and face Jane. In one swift move, Jane moved close and kissed her lightly, her lips lingering for several seconds on Maura's. She pulled away as quickly as she had leaned in, taking in Maura standing in front of her with a smile spreading across her face. Jane backed away slowly, grinning as she did.

"Night Maur." She said softly. Maura could only raise her hand in reply, her other hand coming up to touch her lips, where only seconds ago, Jane's had tenderly kissed her. She smiled again, thinking about how much she had enjoyed Jane's company, then let herself into her apartment and started to get ready for bed.

* * *

Jane drove back to her apartment with a goofy smile plastered on her face. Once she let herself into the apartment, she collapsed onto her beat-up couch, putting her hands behind her head and relaxing into the lumpy cushions. Only then did she realize they hadn't even discussed their divorce once over the course of the entire evening.

_Oh well_-Jane thought, as she closed her eyes- _I guess we will just have to get together again._


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey y'all. Thanks so much for all the reviews! I'm super stoked that you guys are enjoying this so much. Really. I have the next 5 days off to celebrate 'Merica so I am going to try and post as much as possible. **

**Things are going to get a little angsty over the next few chapters, so be prepared. **

**This chapter should be entitled "Constance Isles is a Cold Bitch" Enjoy. **

* * *

Maura paced in her darkened bedroom, her cellphone clutched in her hand. It was too early to have to deal with this, but with the time difference between Boston and Paris, and with having to be at her internship at 8am, she knew that now was the best time to make the call. After pacing a couple more lengths of the room, she sat down on the end of her bed, wiping her sweaty palms on her silk pajama bottoms. Maura took a deep breath and dialed her phone.

The phone rang several times, and Maura found herself wishing it would go straight to voicemail. Unfortunately, after the sixth ring, Constance Isles' prim and proper voice came across the line, and Maura braced herself for the uncomfortable conversation that was about to happen.

"Maura, darling, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Hello Mother….I-I hope I am not disturbing you." Maura tried to keep her voice as even and calm as possible.

"Nonsense dear, I was just sitting down for a bit of lunch. How are your studies going?"

"Fine. I am enjoying my internship at the Boston Police Department. I have another week left and then I am beginning my residency. I am particularly looking forward to it because I will be able to study under Dr. Joseph Aymar, who is one of the most notable pathologists on the east coast."

"That's nice dear." Constance sounded bored. "And how is Garrett?"

Maura sucked in a breath, pausing for a few seconds before responding. Her parents had been the ones that had arranged for them to meet in the first place, hoping that their relationship would help to unite the two prominent families in some way.

"I don't know." Maura mumbled.

"Whatever do you mean? And don't mumble dear, it's not becoming of a lady."

"I don't know because we broke up Mother. He was cheating on me." Maura spoke clearly, not wanting to say any more about the issue.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. When did this happen?"

Maura paused again before answering, knowing that they were about to get into particularly uncomfortable territory. "We broke up when I was in Las Vegas for my conference."

"I see." - came Constance's curt reply. There was silence for several seconds as Maura mustered up the courage to reveal the real reason she was calling.

"Mother, I called to ask you for Marcus' number." Maura had decided a straightforward approach was best. Her mother wasn't one to dance around issues.

"And why would you require our lawyer's number, Maura?"

Maura's mouth suddenly went dry and her heart began to race. "I have a legal matter I need to resolve." In the background Maura could hear what sounded like a chair scraping the floor, then soft footsteps followed by a door shutting quietly.

"Maura, you tell me what is going on _right now_." Constance hissed over the phone.

Hot tears were forming in Maura's eyes, and she squeezed them tightly shut, hoping to prevent them from falling. Suddenly, the words were falling out of Maura's mouth. "I did something stupid Mother…I-I got married in Las Vegas. I need Marcus to help me to get a divorce or an annulment. As quickly and discreetly as possible."

The silence on the other end of the line was unbearable, far worse than the anger and rage that Maura had expected from her mother. When Constance finally spoke, Maura was relieved. Her relief was short-lived however, when the words that Constance was saying began to register.

"Maura, you listen to me. I am forwarding you Marcus' contact information. You will contact him_ at once_ and take care of your little 'situation' as quickly and as discreetly as possible. Do you hear me?"

"Y-yes Mother." Maura stammered.

Constance wasn't finished quite yet. "I expected better of you Maura. If news of your 'indiscretion' got out, it could ruin our family…ruin your father. I expect this to be taken care of by the time I speak to you next. Oh, and Maura, if I hear _one word_ about this from anyone besides you, you can bet you will be on the next plane to Paris, because obviously living in America is having a negative influence on you." Constance finished coolly. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes Mother." Maura whispered into the phone. Tears were blurring her vision and sliding down her cheeks, and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. "I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Mother." Maura choked out.

Constance was unaffected by Maura's tearful apology. "Yes…well, sorry doesn't take back your stupid decision. I have to go. Take care of it Maura. Goodbye."

Maura didn't even respond, but instead disconnected the call, falling back onto her bed and curling up into the fetal position. Sobs wracked her body for quite some time, and Maura couldn't stop replaying the awful conversation in her head. She knew her mother was going to be disappointed, but the way her mother had spoken to her was disheartening.

Glancing up at the clock by her bed, Maura knew she was going to have to get herself together and get ready for the day. _Nothing like a positive start to the day_-Maura laughed in spite of herself. She lay there for a few more minutes before wiping her tears and sitting up. Her phone chimed and she leaned over to pick it up, noting the indication that she had an email. _Probably from Mother_ she thought, as she opened up her email. Her instincts were correct, and she opened the email, scanning the brief one-line email containing the contact information for Marcus Lieberman, their family's lawyer. _I'll call him during my lunch break_ she decided, and moved into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

* * *

Jane was thankful for the central air conditioning in headquarters as she stepped into the lobby from the searing heat outside. She had been on patrol for the last four hours, and was looking forward to cooling down and eating some lunch before she headed back out for the rest of her shift. Jane scanned the lobby as she entered, somehow hoping to catch a glimpse of a certain blonde, even though she knew Maura was likely down in the morgue or out at a scene.

Since their "date" last week, Jane had seen Maura a few times, once at another crime scene, and a couple of times in passing at headquarters. Jane had been working odd hours picking up whatever shifts she could, so she hadn't really been able to connect with Maura like she wanted to.

Jane headed right for the café that was in the lobby, hoping to grab a quick bite so she could maybe squeeze in a quick nap in the lounge before heading back out to patrol. She pulled a crumpled twenty out of her back pocket and perused the selections, an idea popping into her head as she did so. In the end, she picked a turkey sandwich and a garden salad, and headed down to the morgue, hoping to find Maura down there.

She walked slowly through the basement, peering through the large glass windows into each room, hoping to locate Maura. Jane stopped when she finally caught a glimpse of the doctor, stooped over a body in the autopsy room, dressed in black surgical scrubs. Jane swallowed, not exactly wanting to go into the autopsy room. They had made her go in there on the first day of the job to get familiar with it, and the cool air and stale smell gave Jane the creeps. But taking another glance at Maura, her face screwed up in concentration, she decided it was worth it and rapped on the glass.

Maura looked up from the neat row of sutures she had been working on to find Jane's head peeking in the autopsy room door. Smiling, she put down her instruments and stood up straight. "Jane. What are you doing here?"

Jane opened the door a bit more and held up the plastic boxes containing the food she had just purchased. "I am on lunch break, and was wondering if you had eaten yet. If not, do you wanna join me?" She smiled hopefully. "I can wait if it's not a good time…"

Maura snapped off her gloves and threw them in the garbage. "I would love to join you. I was just finishing up some sutures, Dr. Benton was letting me practice." Jane stood holding the door open with her body, and Maura exited the autopsy room. She paused in the hallway. "Do you want to eat down here? Or did you have somewhere else in mind?"

"I was thinking we could eat up in the officer's lounge. It should be pretty empty, and besides" – Jane wrinkled her nose- "I don't know how you can eat down here with all the 'dead person' air."

Maura laughed, feeling some of the tension from the rough start to her day leave her body. "Cold air is cold air, Jane. But the officer's lounge sounds lovely."

The two women walked up a flight of stairs to the officer's lounge, both of them secretly pleased when they noticed they would have it to themselves. Jane plunked herself down on the sofa and deposited the plastic boxes on the small table. Maura sat down gently beside her.

"Okay, so I didn't know what you would want, but we have a turkey and cheddar sandwich or a garden salad. Take your pick." Jane held up both boxes.

Maura selected the garden salad, watching as Jane fist pumped as she did.

"I was hoping you would pick the salad. I don't do green stuff." Jane admitted with a sheepish grin. "My Ma says I am worse than a five-year-old." She took a large bite out of the sandwich. "Oh! Can I get you a drink?" She stood and walked over to the fridge in the corner of the room. "They keep this thing full of soda and water."

"Water would be fine." Maura replied, taking a small bite of her salad.

Jane returned with a can of cola and a bottle of water, taking her place next to Maura once again. Both women were quiet as they started to eat.

"So how's it going?" Jane asked between bites of her sandwich. "You're almost done with your internship, right?"

Maura nodded. "Yes, last week is my final week. I finish next Friday. Even though Dr. Benton is, well, clearly not interested in teaching me anything, I have enjoyed the experience. It is nice to be in the environment that I eventually want to work in."

"Yeah, I bet." Jane replied. "For me, the academy was good an all, but I have learned so much just in the past two weeks of being an actual patrol officer, you know?" She put the last of her sandwich down and looked up at Maura. "So what happens after this?"

Maura fiddled with a piece of lettuce before putting her fork down. "Well, my residency starts the following Monday, so I'll be there from now on." She watched as Jane took a long drink of soda, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand once she was finished.

"What is this between us Maura?" Jane suddenly asked-her gaze still fixed on Maura. She hadn't planned on bringing this up, but for some reason felt the need to address it. "Honestly, I have no idea what I am doing with all of this." She sat back against the couch, turning her body slightly sideways, towards Maura. "I feel like we have gone about this totally ass-backwards…we got married, we kind of went on a date, and now we are, what…friends?"

Maura opened her mouth to speak, wondering if she should mention the conversation between her and her mother from this morning. Before she was able to speak, Jane continued.

"Listen, Maura, I like you. Even though this has been the craziest few weeks in my life, I want to get to know you better. I hope that whatever we decide about our sham marriage that we can at least stay friends." Her brown eyes searched Maura's face for some type of reaction.

Jane watched as Maura's head dropped slightly.

"I spoke to my mother this morning Jane." Maura spoke quietly. "I am under strict orders to end our marriage immediately. I am meeting with the lawyer this evening." She watched as Jane struggled to remain impassive to what she had just said.

Jane exhaled slowly, and was surprised when Maura scooted closer and gently placed a hand on her thigh.

"Truthfully Jane, I don't know what this is between us. I have enjoyed getting to know you since the initial shock of things wore off, but realistically, how do you see this ending? I mean, I am twenty-three years old, just starting my career as a doctor, and you are a rookie police officer. How do you see this playing out?"

Jane's eyes flashed with hurt and Maura could feel her tense up. "I'm not saying we should just play house and pretend like everything is okay Maura, I'm just saying that I think we have something here and I want to take some time and see where it goes. Why let your parents dictate our lives? All I'm asking is for some time Maura. That's it." She placed her hand over Maura's and squeezed gently, causing Maura's eyes to focus on hers. "Please."

Maura sighed. "I wish it was that simple Jane." She stood up abruptly, moving to throw away her half-eaten salad. "I wish that I could just live my life, but things with my parents are…complicated. Look, I want to see where this goes just as much as you, but I have to follow through with the legalities of ending our marriage. This is impacting my family more than you could know."

Jane got to her feet as well. "Then _tell me_ Maura. Let me help. How about you come over for dinner tomorrow night? We can talk it through." She placed her hand lightly on Maura's shoulder. "Please. Let me help. We can figure this out." She felt Maura relax in defeat under her hand. "At least let me cook you dinner. You are obviously stressed."

Maura could feel her resolve giving way with each second she lingered in front of Jane. She lifted her head and nodded slowly, suddenly reaching for Jane and pulling her in close for a hug. Jane's arms wrapped around her without hesitation, and Maura felt Jane's lips against her temple.

"Okay." Maura said into Jane's chest.


	10. Chapter 10

**Boom. Two updates in one day. Everybody keep calm and enjoy. **

* * *

Jane paused and looked around her kitchen. It looked like a disaster zone. Glancing at her phone, which was currently sitting in a pile of flour, Jane picked it up, dusted it off, and checked to see what time it was. 7:49. _Shit!_ Jane started to panic as she realized Maura was going to be here any minute. She cranked up the heat on the simmering pot of water and gave the pork ragout another stir, before heading to her room to make sure she didn't look like a complete disaster.

Taking stock of her appearance in the full-length mirror on the back of her closet door, Jane brushed the flour off her basketball shorts and quickly shucked off her tomato-stained t-shirt, replacing it with a clean white tank top. She yanked her ponytail out, trying to organize her mass of dark curls into something somewhat attractive, and then gave up, instead sweeping the curls back into a ponytail. _It's too hot to have my hair down_ she justified, taking one final look in the mirror and padding back into the kitchen.

Jane groaned as she entered the kitchen, noticing how hot it was in there. _I should have just gotten takeout, we are gonna be sweaty messes after like five minutes_ she lamented. The window unit air-conditioner that she had pilfered from her parent's garage was barely making a dent in the unbearable heat. It didn't help that every burner on her stove was currently in use, adding to the already sweltering environment. She tossed the fresh pasta into the now-boiling water, giving it a quick stir before grabbing a sponge and starting to wipe up the flour explosion on her counter.

She was dipping her finger into the pork ragout when she heard the quiet knock. Licking her finger and deeming the sauce acceptable, she wiped her hands on a nearby towel and called "It's open!" over her shoulder. She heard the door click open and glanced over her shoulder to see Maura letting herself in.

"Hey Maura! Welcome to my humble abode." Jane was grinning as she made her way to where Maura was standing. "Sorry it's so hot in here."

Maura smiled in return, holding out a bottle of wine, which Jane promptly took. "It's okay. I dressed accordingly, I hope you don't mind my casual attire." She blushed and gestured at her cropped yoga pants and tank top.

Jane waved a hand in dismissal. "Oh please…that's pretty much the uniform around here. No worries. Come, sit. Dinner is just about ready."

Maura glanced around the small apartment as she sat at the tall stool by the kitchen counter. "It smells wonderful in here Jane." She watched as Jane strained the pasta and put it into a serving bowl, and after, ladling a fair amount of a delicious smelling sauce over the top. "Can I help you with anything?"

Jane tossed her a corkscrew and got down a couple of wine glasses from the cabinet, nodding to the wine sitting on the counter. "I think we are pretty much good, but if you wanna pour us some wine, we should be good to go."

A few minutes later, the wine was poured, the food had been served, and Jane settled on the stool next to Maura. A few seconds after she sat down, Jane hopped back down and headed to the fridge. "Hang on, don't eat yet. I forgot something." She reemerged with a small block of cheese in her hand, and rummaged around in a drawer for a grater. "Pecorino romano. I almost forgot the best part." She sat back down on her stool and grated the cheese on top of both of their bowls of pasta. "Okay…now try." She urged.

Maura could feel Jane's eyes on her as she wound the delicate noodles around her fork and took a bite. She was pleasantly surprised by how good it tasted, and quickly dug in again for more. "Jane, this is _really_ good. I didn't know you could cook."

Jane smiled between bites of her own pasta. "I thought we already established that there was a lot we didn't know about each other…" She teased, secretly loving the smile that appeared on Maura's face as she did. "But thank you, it's a family recipe. Ma will be glad that I didn't screw it up too badly."

They sipped their wine and enjoyed their meal, keeping the conversation full of lighthearted banter and gentle teasing. As they settled down on the couch, both women groaned, their stomach's full to the limit.

"Oh god…I shouldn't have had that second bowl." Jane rubbed her stomach for emphasis, settling back against the cushions and stretching her legs out on the coffee table. Maura laughed and settled into the couch as well, curling her legs up under her.

"So…I guess we should talk about your meeting with the lawyer." Jane started. "Not to ruin the mood or whatever, but that's why you're here…right?"

Both women knew that wasn't the only reason Maura was there.

"Marcus suggested we get an annulment." Maura replied quietly. "He said it is probably our best choice. As he explained it, it basically means that our marriage never took place. He said something about it involving less paperwork than a divorce and it would be effective shortly after both parties sign the paperwork. Marcus gave the paperwork to me before I left his office." She paused, trying to gauge Jane's reaction to the information she had just laid out.

When Jane finally spoke, it was so quiet that Maura almost missed it.

"Is that what you want Maura?" Dark eyes fixed intently on hazel ones.

"No." Maura whispered. "No…I mean, I don't know." Maura was fumbling as she tried to verbalize the turmoil that she was feeling over the situation. "Jane…I-I…"

She was cut off by the ringing of her phone, both women groaning inwardly at the sudden interruption.

"Sorry Jane, let me just see who it is. I can probably ignore the call." She rose from her position on the couch and retrieved her phone from her purse- her heart sinking when she noticed the call was from her mother. "I'm so sorry Jane, it's my mother. I have to take this."

Jane rubbed her hand over her eyes in frustration and stood up, ushering Maura towards her bedroom. "It's fine Maura, feel free to talk in my room and then we can finish our conversation after." She watched as Maura accepted the call, mouthed her thanks to Jane, and shut the door behind her. Jane started to clean up the kitchen to distract herself while Maura spoke to her mother.

Quite some time passed and Jane had cleaned up all the dishes, swept the kitchen floor, and wiped down all the counters, and still no sign of Maura. She glanced at the clock again, noting that it had been over thirty minutes since Maura had gone into Jane's room. Jane tossed the sponge into the sink and strode over to her bedroom door, listening for a minute to see if Maura was still on the phone. It was completely quiet on the other side of the door so Jane knocked softly and cracked open the door slightly to investigate.

"Maura? Is everything okay? I have some ice cream if you want to…" Jane stopped abruptly when she noticed Maura sitting stiffly at the end of her unmade bed. Tears were streaming down her face. Jane crossed to Maura in a few steps and sat down, pulling the distraught woman as close to her as she could. Maura continued to cry in silence for a few more seconds, and then started to cry harder, large gasping sobs shaking the both of them, and Jane felt her heart break as she watched Maura fall apart in front of her.

Jane began to rock Maura gently, stroking her hair softly and trying to comfort her the best she could. After some time, Maura calmed down enough to allow Jane to reposition them against the headboard, grateful of the soft and soothing caresses and gentle kisses that Jane was giving freely, trailing her hand along Maura's bare upper arm and pressing kisses against her forehead. She relaxed into Jane's embrace, her breath still coming in large gasps even though her tears had stopped falling.

"What happened Maur?" Jane whispered, brushing a sweaty strand of hair from Maura's brow.

Maura took a shaky breath. "My father is dead." She played with one of the straps of Jane's tank top, running her index finger along the smooth cotton as her words registered with Jane. She felt the air leave Jane's body and Jane shifted so they were both lying face-to-face. Jane reached out and grabbed one of Maura's hands, bringing it close so she could kiss the back of it before placing their intertwined hands on the cool sheet in the space between them.

"I'm so sorry Maura." She whispered, knowing that her words would offer little comfort to the heartbroken woman lying next to her. "God…I'm so sorry." She craned her neck to kiss her sweaty forehead again. She watched as Maura's eyes fluttered shut, suddenly wanting a glimpse of those beautiful hazel eyes. Releasing her hold on Maura's hand, she placed her hand gently on Maura's cheek, wiping away the tears that were still falling.

Without warning, Maura placed her hand on top of Jane's, trapping it against her cheek. Her eyes opened slowly, regarding the beautiful brunette woman lying so close, yet somehow not close enough. Maura wiggled and shifted as close to Jane as she could, at the same time leaning in and capturing Jane's lips with her own. She slid her hand under Jane's arm and onto Jane's lower back, meeting warm skin, sticky with sweat. She pushed softly against the skin there, gently encouraging Jane to press her body against Maura's.

Maura's body began to move on it's own accord, suddenly craving intimacy and comfort on a deep and visceral level. She broke the kiss, but after taking in another shaky breath, leaned in again and pressed her lips against Jane's, this time with increased fervor and hunger. She felt Jane tense up, and shifted her hips so that she was straddling Jane, effectively trapping her against the tangle of sheets.

"Maur…what are you doing?" Jane looked up at her with a sad look in her eyes. "Come on…this isn't the time for this."

Maura responded by leaning down and hungrily kissing Jane's neck, feeling Jane squirming as she did so. When she straightened back up, she grabbed a hold of the hem of her top and slid it up and off in one swift movement, watching as Jane's eyes widened at her bold move. She bent down and resumed kissing every exposed inch of skin she could find.

"Maur…Maura!" Jane's hands squeezed at her waist, a small groan also escaping as she tried to protest against Maura's sudden onslaught. "Please…I think we should talk about this."

Maura straightened up again, looking down at the woman underneath her with pleading eyes. Jane could sense the desperation and desire in Maura's eyes, and swallowed thickly as Maura leaned to kiss her on the lips, pulling back agonizingly slow after she did.

"Jane." Maura breathed. "I need you."

"I'm here Maura…tell me what you need." Jane rasped.

"Jane…I-I need you to help me forget." She paused as Jane's eyes snapped up, unsure if she was hearing Maura's request correctly. "Please. I need to forget. Even if it is just for a couple hours." She leaned in again, kissing the area behind Jane's ear. Jane felt Maura's hot breath against her ear as she whispered her final plea. "Please Jane…help me forget."

Jane was silent as she released her grip on Maura's waist, but let her body convey her answer as her hands slid along Maura's taught stomach and upwards toward her breasts. Maura leaned in again to kiss her passionately, and it wasn't long until clothes were stripped off and two bodies began to move against one another in the stifling summer darkness.

* * *

A few hours later, when it was all over Jane held Maura close, even though their bodies were sticky with sweat. She kissed her tenderly and watched as Maura's eyelids began to droop with exhaustion. She listened as Maura's breathing evened out, sliding her fingertips idly along Maura's freckled back.

Just when she thought Maura had succumbed to sleep, she heard Maura speak quietly.

"I have to go Jane." Her fingers paused for a few seconds before resuming their explorations on Maura's skin. "Mother booked my flight to Paris and I need to get my affairs in order before I go." Jane felt Maura's lips brush softly against her ribcage.

"What time is your flight?" Jane asked softly, while at the same time reaching with her free hand for her cellphone on the nightstand.

"My flight leaves from Logan at 8:30pm." Maura responded quietly.

"Stay." Jane murmured. "It's only a little after midnight. Get a few hours of sleep. Please…stay."

Maura's eyelids were heavy with sleep and she knew she couldn't fight it much longer. Yawning, she settled in against Jane's bare chest, nodding her assent. "Okay."

* * *

It was still dark when Jane woke to an empty bed. Her eyes searched the darkened room for evidence of Maura, noticing that Maura's clothes were no longer among the piles of discarded clothes on the floor. Jane rubbed her eyes and sat up, feeling some minor soreness as she did, a reminder of the previous night's activities. She pulled the sheet back and stood, walking into the kitchen hoping to find that Maura had moved into the air-conditioned area for some relief from the stifling heat. Jane was disappointed as the room was empty, meaning that Maura had slipped away at some point. Jane's eyes stopped on the kitchen counter, suddenly noticing a large manila envelope resting beside the fruit bowl. She moved closer, noticing a small yellow post-it note attached to the front. Jane peeled it off to read it.

_Jane, _

_Please sign and return to my lawyer. His contact information is inside._

_I'm sorry._

_-Maura_

With shaking hands, Jane picked up the large manila envelope and opened it, sliding out the thick packet of paper inside. Her breath caught in her throat as she thumbed through the pages, realizing that this was the document to annul their marriage. On several of the last pages there were several colored tabs, indicating areas where Jane would need to sign. She took in a shaky breath, slightly stunned that Maura had simply left this with her.

As she started to put the packet back into the envelope, something stuck out in her mind. She thumbed through the pages again, taking note of the areas where she was supposed to add her signature.

In her rush to leave, Maura had apparently forgotten to sign the document. All of the areas were blank.

* * *

After a particularly long flight, Maura was not looking forward to being in Paris. She knew the next several days were going to be extremely taxing emotionally, and she tried to prepare herself for it while she was on the flight. Unfortunately, all she could think about was the awful way she had left the annulment document on Jane's kitchen counter like a coward. Jane had been nothing but wonderful, holding her while she grieved, satisfying her fully when they had sex, and holding her gently once again as they fell asleep. Maura frowned as she retrieved her bag from the baggage claim, knowing that her quick escape was bound to hurt Jane. She exited the terminal to a rainy and gloomy Paris, quickly finding the familiar black town car parked along the curb. Their chauffer Stephan stepped out into the rain and took her bag, placing it in the trunk. He held open the door for her, and she slid inside, surprised to find her mother sitting on the leather seat next to her.

"Hello Mother." Maura leaned over to hug her mother, who instead of returning the hug, simply sat there stiffly. When Maura pulled away she noticed Constance's red-rimmed and swollen eyes, the only outward indication of her grief over the loss of her husband.

The car pulled away from the terminal and Constance finally spoke. "I trust you took care of your situation before you left?"

Maura turned to look at her mother, whose gaze was fixed out the window. "Yes Mother. It has been taken care of."

Constance nodded, still refusing to look at Maura. "You might want to freshen up dear, there are going to be a lot of people at the house when we return."

Maura turned away and looked out the window as well, tears stinging in her eyes. She found herself wishing that Jane were there, her long arms wrapped around her and her quiet voice whispering reassuring words in her ear. She couldn't help but wonder if she had let her mother ruin the one thing that had felt so real and so right last night.


	11. Chapter 11

**This one's a little long. Don't worry, our favorite girls will be reunited shortly.  
**

* * *

_Thwack –thwack-thwack-thwack_.

The practice dummy jolted with each vicious jab that Jane threw at it. Her fists were aching and tired, but the never-ending stream of crosses and jabs continued as droplets of sweat fell from her body onto the wood floor. She had been at it for the past few hours. After a six-mile run had failed to remedy the frustration she was feeling, she moved to the practice dummy, foregoing the boxing gloves and beginning to pummel it in earnest with her bare hands.

_Thwack!_

With one last vicious uppercut, Jane collapsed onto the cool wood floor, bending her legs and resting her elbows on her knees as she breathed heavily. Sweat stung in her eyes as she panted, trying to catch her breath. She noticed her knuckles were already starting to bruise as she swiped the sweat from her brow. She didn't care.

It had only been a few days since Maura had left for Paris, and Jane had been able to forget about it for the most part since she had been on duty for the past two days. But today was different. It was a rare day off for Jane, and she had woken up restless and irritated, not knowing what she should do with her free day. It didn't help that the first thing she had seen when she woke up and went to get some coffee were the annulment papers sitting on her kitchen counter.

Things were complicated. And she didn't know when Maura would be back to sort it out. Or if she was even planning on coming back at all.

So here she was, dripping sweat on her hardwood floor. Still married. And missing Maura.

Jane's head snapped up when she heard a knock on her door. She got to her feet, feeling her muscles protest as she did, and quickly threw on her t-shirt that she had discarded earlier over her saturated sports bra. She picked up the small towel resting on her sofa and slung it over her shoulder as she moved to open the door. Before opening, she peered through the peephole, groaning quietly when she realized her mother was standing outside her door, tapping her foot impatiently. But, Jane noticed, her mother was also holding a large brown paper sack that was likely full of groceries or a home-cooked meal, and Jane quickly contemplated the potential benefits and opened the door, forcing a smile as she did.

"Hi…Ma. What are you doing here?" Jane started to towel off some of the sweat from her body.

"What? Do I need a reason to come visit my daughter?" Angela responded loudly. "I haven't seen you in weeks Janie. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me or something."

Jane forced a laugh, gritting her teeth. _Oh…you have no idea Ma_ – she thought. She watched her mother move into her kitchen, depositing the large paper sack onto her counter. Angela started pulling things out of the bag and stacking them on the counter. _Groceries AND home-cooked food? Score!_ Jane swiped the towel over her face one last time and tossed it into her bedroom.

"Frankie said that last time he was here, all you had was peanut butter and beer so I brought you some things." Angela opened the fridge and peered in. "I see that wasn't far from the truth. I don't know how you can live like this."

Jane scowled and rolled her eyes, pulling a glass from the cupboard and filling it with water. She gulped it down and refilled it again, then turned to watch her mother, leaning against the counter. "I do just fine Ma. I work long hours and weird shifts, so I end up either eating at the precinct or getting takeout."

Angela placed a carton of eggs on the shelf and straightened up, shutting the door. "I just want to make sure my girl is taken care of." The look on her face was one Jane had seen thousands of times in her life. Jane and her brothers had named it the "guilt tripper."

Jane placed her glass down on the counter and pulled her mother in for a hug, kissing the top of her head. Her mother was definitely irritating sometimes, but she generally meant well and always made sure they were taken care of. "Thank you Ma. You're the best." She kissed her again on the top of the head and released her.

Angela moved back to the other counter, picking up the now-empty paper sack and folding it neatly. Jane nearly choked on her water as she watched her mother's eyes stop on the large stack of paper at the end of the counter. _Fuck!_ She watched, seemingly in slow motion, as her mother picked up the large packet of paper and scanned the first page. Jane started to sweat again as realization dawned on her mother's face.

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli. What the hell is this?" Angela held up the offending papers in a shaking hand. "An annulment? You tell me what is going on right now!" Her voice echoed off the small apartment's walls.

"Jesus Ma! Why don't you just announce it to the entire building!" Jane hissed. "Put it down. I'll explain…" _This is going to be a shitshow_ -Jane thought, as she ushered her mother to the couch, attempting to sit a safe distance from her volatile mother.

"You spill everything Jane. Right now!" Angela placed her hand firmly on Jane's wrist, clutching it in a menacing death grip.

"Ow! Okay…okay!" Jane tried to pull away, but Angela maintained a firm grip on her wrist. "It's exactly how it looks, really." Her eyes flicked upwards nervously, then back down again, not wanting to look at the disappointment in her mother's eyes as she continued. "Remember how we went to Vegas a few weeks back?"

Angela nodded, and Jane continued. "Well, I met someone when I was there and we did something completely stupid when we were drunk, and ended up married." She paused, hearing Angela gasp at the confession. "So…yeah." Jane exhaled in relief when her mother released her wrist, only to jump in surprise when Angela's hand flew through the air and smacked her firmly on the back of her head.

"I raised you better than that Jane Rizzoli! I never, for one minute, believed you were capable of such stupidity. Definitely Tommy, maybe Frankie…but never you."

Jane rubbed the back of her head as she hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry Ma."

"You know what the worst part of it is?" Angela continued. "You weren't even gonna tell me, were you? I found out by accident. Tell me Jane, were you even gonna tell me about him? Your own mother?"

Jane decided honesty was the best policy at this point, and took in a deep breath to prepare for the next bomb. "Well, first off- it was a her…not a him. Her name is Maura…Maura Isles. And second, it got complicated Ma. Honestly, I don't even know what I want anymore."

To her credit, Angela's reaction was minimal, her eyes widening slightly at Jane's confession. Her mouth opened like she wanted to speak, but then closed again. Jane took the opportunity to continue. It wasn't often her mother was rendered speechless.

"I didn't know it at the time, but she's from Boston. She's a doctor, training to become a medical examiner and has been interning at the precinct. I wasn't expecting to see her ever again, but I have. And Ma…I-I have feelings for her." Jane was surprised by how good it felt to say it out loud. She slumped back against the couch with her head in her hands. After a few minutes, she felt her mothers arm slide reassuringly across her shoulders, pulling her gently into Angela's side.

"Oh Janie…how'd you get into this mess?" Angela whispered. "Never mind…we'll sort this out. I'm here for you, whatever you need." She squeezed Jane's shoulder and pressed a kiss to her temple. "Are you gonna sign the papers?"

Jane let out a long breath that she didn't know she had been holding. "I don't know. I wanted to talk about it some more, but now she's gone. Her father died and she left for Paris a couple days ago. I don't know when she is coming back…or really, if she is coming back."

"So what does that mean?" Angela got up and walked into the kitchen again, pulling out a foil pan and sticking it in the oven.

"It means that I'm still married. At least for the time being. I think she forgot to sign the papers when she left them with me before she left."

Angela turned the knob of the oven to the desired temperature, then turned and faced Jane, asking the question Jane had been asking herself for the last few days. "Forgot? Or purposely didn't sign them?" Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Jane.

"I don't know Ma…I don't know." Jane replied quietly.

Angela grabbed her purse off the coffee table and squatted down in front of Jane, reaching out and patting her cheek softly. "You'll figure it out. If you need anything, just give me a call. I put some lasagna in the oven for you. Don't forget to eat." With a smile, she gave Jane's cheek one final pat and stood up. "I'm still a little in shock that my Janie is married." She admitted as she made her way to the door.

Jane grinned as her mother let herself out, chuckling softly. "Me too Ma. Me too. Thanks for the food and for not killing me. I love you."

"I love you too baby!" Angela called over her shoulder. "Tell your brother to call me when he has a chance."

Jane's smile faded as she shut the door and slid the deadbolt over. She moved back into the kitchen and turned off the oven, pulling the lasagna back out and shoving it into the freezer. She wasn't feeling like eating. She walked into her bedroom, shedding her shorts and t-shirt, pulling the drapes closed blocking out all light, and collapsed onto her bed in just her underwear in sports bra. Rolling over, she reached and opened the drawer of her nightstand, feeling around until her fingertips touched cool metal. She clutched her hand around them and pulled her hand back, opening it to reveal the twin wedding bands resting in her palm.

Jane stared at them for a few minutes, turning them over with her index finger. They were pretty much identical, but one was slightly smaller in size than the other. Jane tried each of them on, quickly figuring out that the larger one was hers, as it slid easily onto her finger. She placed Maura's ring back in the drawer and pulled the sheet over her, falling into a restless sleep after only a few minutes.

* * *

Maura sat on her bed, grateful for the brief reprieve from the steady stream of family and friends that had passed through the house over the past few days. She dabbed at the last of the tears on her face with a crumpled tissue. Her father's service had just concluded an hour ago, and Constance had sent Maura upstairs to freshen up before they were scheduled to meet with her father's legal team to go over his will- among other legal issues. Honestly, Maura didn't know why she was even expected to be at the meeting. She was sure her father had left everything to her mother. But with her mother's fragile state, she decided to let it go and follow her wishes.

Constance had been nothing but cold to Maura since she arrived. Maura knew her mother was grieving, but she had barely said more than a few sentences to her over the past few days. Maura couldn't help but wonder if all of it was related to her marriage to Jane. Sighing deeply, Maura got up off her bed and walked to her bathroom to reapply her makeup.

Several minutes later, she was summoned by the housekeeper Renee knocking gently on her door. "Maura, your mother requests your presence in the study." She called softly, in her heavily accented English, peering in at Maura as she did.

Maura forced a smile. "Thank you Renee. I will be down momentarily." She ran a hand through her loose curls and shut off the light in her bathroom. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she exited her bedroom and walked slowly through the large house toward her father's study. As she neared the room, she could hear several people talking in hushed voices. Maura paused in the door, seeing her mother whispering with several of her father's colleagues and lawyers. Maura cleared her throat and several heads whipped toward her.

"Maura, dear, we were just going over several of the items from your father's will. Please, sit." She looked up at her mother, who was smiling tightly at her. Maura walked across the room and sat down in one of the plush armchairs. She glanced around the room and noticed Marcus was there. She vaguely remembered hearing that he was flying in, but she ducked her head in embarrassment and avoided his gaze. Unfortunately, he was the first to speak, clearing his voice loudly and standing from his chair.

"Maura, did your father ever discuss any business matters with you?" He asked, in his clipped English accent.

She shook her head slowly. "No. We never discussed it. I had no interest in it, so he never pressed the issue." She responded quietly, noticing her mother's narrow gaze fixed on her as she did. "Why?"

Marcus paused, exchanging several nervous glances around the room. "Well…we seem to be a little _intrigued_ by Phillip's, I mean, your father's will. He indicated under very clear terms, that in the event of his untimely death we wanted everything to be left to you."

Maura's palms started to sweat, and her voice started to shake when she spoke again. "What do you mean?"

This time her mother spoke, her voice cool and quiet. "It's quite clear Maura. Phillip left everything to you. The Isles Foundation, his law firm, and all properties, including this house, the penthouse in New York, and both properties in Boston."

Maura's eyes fluttered shut as her brain struggled to wrap around the implications of what her mother had just said. When she opened them again, all eyes were on her.

"But…what does that mean exactly." She asked weakly.

"Phillip indicated that he wished you to take over the day-to-day running of both the Isles Foundation and his law firm, essentially putting you in charge of the entire Isles fortune." Marcus answered.

"N-no." Maura stammered. "I don't want it. I'm a doctor, not a lawyer. I have no business running any of this."

Constance raised herself slowly from her chair and gestured at Marcus and the others gathered in the study. "Please gentlemen, if you could excuse us for a moment…I need to discuss some things with my daughter." Maura watched as the men nodded politely and filed out of the room. No sooner than the door shut, had Constance turned to face Maura, her face serious as she did.

"Maura, dear, no one was more surprised than me that your father chose to leave the estate in your hands, but as an Isles, you have certain, _obligations_ to fulfill. I'm sorry, but you are going to have to make some sacrifices and honor your father's wishes."

Maura could feel her heart hammering in her chest, and started to mentally prepare herself for the battle she knew was coming. She looked her mother in the eye and stood. "So you are saying I have to give up my life, my career in Boston, and come and run the family business?" She asked incredulously. "A business I have no experience and absolutely no interest in?"

Constance didn't bat an eye. "You don't have a choice. It is your responsibility now." She raised her chin in defiance as she regarded her daughter.

Maura laughed, suddenly remembering how last time she had let her mother make a decision for her, and how it had likely cost her a relationship. "No Mother. I won't let you bully me this time. I do have a choice. Let me tell you what it is." Maura was gathering steam now, feeling more confident with each second that passed. "I will _not_ be staying here to run the company. I will agree to stay here until we have found a suitable person to take over the day-to-day dealings of both the Isles Foundation and the law firm. You can have any and all properties, except for the Boston ones. Do with them as you see fit. I will keep the Boston properties, as I plan on remaining in Boston for the foreseeable future. I will remain here in Paris _only_ until all of these details have been taken care of. Then I will be returning to Boston to continue my education and my career. Do I make myself clear?"

Constance's eyes widened and she collapsed back into her chair, too surprised by Maura's forceful outburst to respond. Maura walked over to her, and bent down to look her straight in the eye, surprised to see tears welling up in her mother's crystal blue eyes.

"Do I make myself clear Mother?" Maura repeated, more gently this time. Her mother blinked a few times, and a solitary tear rolled down her cheek. Then, she nodded slightly, but enough for Maura to know that her message was received. Maura leaned in and kissed Constance gently on the cheek.

"I'm feeling quite tired Mother. I think I will return to my room." Constance didn't reply, so Maura turned and headed back to her room, feeling like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She shed her black dress in exchange for comfortable silk pajamas and settled into her bed, drifting off to sleep, for once, at peace with a decision she had made. Lately, they had been few and far between.


	12. Chapter 12

**I wanted to post this earlier, but we had an epic thunderstorm and the power/internet went out. So here you go. I might not get an update up tomorrow depending on my plans for the 4th, but definitely Saturday. Thanks for reading. **

* * *

Jane drummed on the steering wheel of her police cruiser, which was currently parked in a 7-11 parking lot. She sipped her now-cold coffee and placed it back in the cup holder, grimacing at the acidic taste. Three straight weeks of overnight shifts filling in for an injured officer had her strung out on caffeine and with a messed up sleep schedule to boot. Tonight had been a slow night and she still had five hours left. They had her working by herself tonight, and so far she only had made a few simple traffic stops.

She looked down at her phone, currently buzzing on the dashboard. Reaching for it, she read the text from Frankie, chuckling softly to herself as she did. He had been sent to help with a floater the Coast Guard had picked up and had texted her a picture of Frost bent over and heaving his dinner into the ocean. Jane closed the message, wondering how she was going to pass the time until 8am. Her finger lingered over the photos app on her phone, before pressing lightly and opening up her picture album. For some reason she ended up on the pictures from Vegas, swiping her finger slowly through the pictures that made her both smile and cringe.

She paused on one picture that she didn't remember seeing before. It was of Maura, naked and tangled up in the white bed sheet. She was lying on her stomach, with the sheet covering her ass, but leaving a large amount of her back and legs on display. Her blonde hair was slightly tousled and she grinned up at the camera with her hazel eyes sparkling seductively. Jane felt her heart skip a beat as she studied the picture. Jane deeply regretted not being able to remember that night, not only the wedding, but the first time they had sex. If it was anything like the time just over a month ago, Jane knew it had to have been fantastic.

It had been a little over a month since she had heard from Maura, and she was no closer to deciding what to do about their marriage. Each day she woke up wondering if today would be the day that she would finally hear from Maura, but so far it hadn't happened. Jane had been able to reach the conclusion that there was undeniable chemistry between the two women, and she knew she wanted to pursue a relationship with Maura, whether that entailed staying married or not.

Jane's phone buzzed again, the noise startling her. Thinking it was another text from Frankie, she took another sip of her coffee. The phone continued to buzz for several seconds before Jane realized someone was calling her. She fumbled with it and flipped it over, her breath catching when she saw that Maura Isles was calling. Jane inhaled sharply and answered the call.

"Hello?" There was silence on the other end for a few beats.

"Jane. It's Maura." Jane closed her eyes at the sound of Maura's smooth voice.

"I know. Uh…h-how are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you. Jane…I need a favor. And I know it is late and that I am probably the last person on earth you want to help after what I did to you, but I am really in a jam." Maura sounded tense.

Jane paused, wanting to help, but at the same time knowing she was on duty. "I'm on duty Maura, but what do you need?"

"I'm at Logan. I just flew in-my plane was delayed. I went to start my car it won't start. I think the battery is dead. If you can't because you are on duty I understand, I just didn't know who else to call."

Jane figured she could justify helping a friend jump their car with her sergeant if need be. It wasn't a stretch by any means. "I can be there in ten Maura." She could hear Maura exhale in relief on the other end. "Stay in your car with the doors locked until I get there."

"Thank you. I am in section E of the long-term parking lot. I drive a black Mercedes."

"Gotcha. I'm on my way." Jane put her cruiser into drive and pulled out of the parking lot, heading east toward the airport.

* * *

Jane pulled up in the nearly deserted parking lot next to the black Mercedes containing a very tired-looking Maura Isles. She put her cruiser into park and kept it running, popping the hood before unbuckling and getting out. She caught a glimpse of blonde hair as she rummaged around in the trunk for her jumper cables. Jumper cables in hand, Jane moved back to the front of her car, finding Maura waiting for her.

Maura gave her a tired smile. "Thanks for coming Jane. I really appreciate it."

"Hey no worries." Jane replied. "Just doing my job…you know, to serve and protect or whatever." She fiddled around under the hood of her cruiser, feeling for the latch to unhook and raise the hood. "Gotcha." She lifted the hood and propped it open, repeating the same process on Maura's car.

Neither woman spoke while they attempted to jumpstart Maura's car several times. After the fifth try, they realized there was a serious problem that jumper cables weren't going to fix. Jane detached the cables from both cars and looked over at Maura as she slammed the hood back down into place.

"Thanks for trying anyway." Maura pulled out her cellphone and dialed a number for a cab company. "I'll just get a cab home and deal with this in the morning."

Jane reached her hand out and lightly touched Maura's arm. She nodded in the direction of her police cruiser. "Don't bother. I'll drive you home." She was already moving to the trunk of the Mercedes to get out Maura's luggage before Maura could protest. Jane saw Maura duck back into the driver's side and grab her purse and keys, shutting the door and locking up the car when she was finished. Both women slid into the front of the police car and soon they were on their way to Maura's house.

"How was your flight?" Jane asked, trying to make small talk as they drove through the nearly empty city streets.

"Long." Maura replied. "There was a large weather system over the Atlantic and we had to go around it which added a couple hours onto the flight." She turned her head slightly to study Jane's profile as she drove. "How has work been?"

She watched as the corner of Jane's mouth turned up as she smiled, bringing out her dimple. "Let's just say these last few weeks of night shifts have been…interesting. You quickly learn as a cop that all the crazy freaks come out at night. Just last week I almost broke my arm tackling a guy who was strung out on coke."

Maura didn't quite know how to react to that statement, but she nodded vaguely in response. She turned to face forward, and remained silent the rest of the way to her house. Maura didn't get out immediately after Jane pulled up by the curb, but instead unbuckled and turned to face Jane. "Jane…I wanted to apologize for the way I left. There's a lot I need to explain, and obviously now is not the time. But I would like to talk to you. Sometime soon, preferably."

Jane chewed the inside of her cheek as she contemplated what Maura had to say. Remembering the annulment papers that were now shoved, forgotten, into a kitchen drawer, she knew that talking was a good idea. "I'll tell you what. My shift ends at 8am. I know you just got off a transatlantic flight, but if you want, I can come by afterwards and we can talk." Maura didn't immediately respond, so Jane tried to backtrack. "Or I have the next couple of days off so we can definitely wait if that's better."

Maura opened her door, but didn't get out. "Come by after your shift ends. Can I make you breakfast to repay you for picking me up?" She smiled shyly at Jane.

"You got yourself a deal." Jane grinned in reply and moved to get out of the car and help with Maura's luggage. She carried the bags to the top of the stairs while Maura unlocked her door.

"Thanks for your help Jane. I really appreciate it."

"Your welcome. It's…it's really good to see you Maura." Jane ducked her head slightly. "I have to go, but I'll see you later."

"Yes. See you later." Maura watched Jane retreat back to her police car, giving a slight wave as she pulled away. "Stay safe." Maura whispered, as the car disappeared down the street.

* * *

It was after 9am when Jane finally bounded up the steps in front of Maura's house. Her last call from dispatch took her to pick up a drunk guy who proceeded to puke down the front of Jane's uniform, causing her to shower and change in the locker room before heading to Maura's. She knocked lightly on the door, hoping that Maura hadn't fallen asleep and forgotten about her.

Maura came to the door a few short seconds later, looking surprisingly fresh and bright-eyed as she opened the door for Jane. Jane caught the delicious scents of coffee brewing and bacon frying as Maura beckoned her inside. Jane had never been inside Maura's house before, and tried not to stare open-mouthed as she scanned the living area. The living room was the size of Jane's entire apartment and it opened up into a large kitchen with all the bells and whistles. Jane could see a powder room off the kitchen with another room at the end of a hall. There were stairs that led to the second floor, and Jane assumed there were at least two more rooms up there.

"Nice place." Jane commented. "Sure makes mine look like a dump."

Maura frowned. "Your apartment is perfectly fine Jane. How do you like your eggs?"

"Over easy. But I'm not picky, however you want to make them is fine by me." She took a seat at the large kitchen island and watched Maura as she started to prepare the eggs. Maura had already set out large plates with toast and crispy bacon. There was a large glass of orange juice next to each one, along with a steaming cup of coffee. Jane's mouth watered in anticipation.

It was only a few more minutes before Jane and Maura were digging into their food. It was quiet for quite some time, as neither woman wanted to be the first to start the conversation. Maura finally mustered up the courage, knowing that she had the most ground to cover. Holding the warm cup of coffee in her hands, she decided to just go for it.

"I'm sorry I left the way I did. And I didn't plan on being gone for so long." She watched as a forkful of eggs paused halfway to Jane's mouth. "I can explain everything, but I wanted to apologize first." The eggs completed their journey, and Jane chewed for several seconds before looking up to meet Maura's gaze, almost challenging her.

"Then go ahead. Explain." Jane shrugged. She resumed eating.

Maura took a deep breath and launched into the details, first explaining how her mother had pressured her to go through with the annulment, and then talking about her time in Paris, and how it took much longer than she anticipated finding someone to replace her father and to transfer the other properties to her mother. Jane listened intently as she spoke, gaining some insights into Maura's life as she chronicled the last four weeks. When Maura finished, Jane leaned back in her chair, pushing her now-empty plate away.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that." Jane said, finally looking up again into hazel eyes.

"Me too." Maura replied sadly. "It was bad enough to have to deal with such a legal nightmare, but the fact that I had left things here like I did made it that much worse. To just leave the papers for you to sign like a coward…I deeply regret it Jane. Truly."

Jane didn't immediately respond, instead taking a long sip of her coffee. "It's okay Maura. I forgive you. Your father died and you panicked. It's understandable." She shrugged. Jane neglected to mention that said paperwork was still incomplete and lying crumpled in a drawer in her apartment.

"One last thing Jane. I had a lot of time to think when I was in Paris, and I thought about you a lot. I know this…relationship…has been complicated so far, but I want you to know that I am attracted to you and would like very much to see where this goes." Maura's hand slid across the granite countertop to grab Jane's. "If you will let me, of course."

Without hesitation, Jane's other hand came to rest on top of Maura's. Maura looked up shyly to find Jane gazing at her intently, with a small grin on her face.

"I think I'd like that." Jane said, smiling wider for emphasis. Maura blushed and resumed eating her breakfast, a smile playing across her lips as she did.

Jane scooted off her stool and started to clear her dirty dishes, ignoring Maura's protests as she did.

"You made me breakfast Maur. The least I can do is clean up!" Jane said over her shoulder as she filled the sink with warm, soapy water. Maura couldn't help herself and finished her breakfast in a few more bites then slid down to help Jane with the cleanup. "You just can't help yourself, can you?" Jane rolled her eyes. "I got this…seriously."

Maura deposited her dishes into the soapy water, but didn't quite move away, standing a few paces beside Jane at the counter. Jane continued washing for a few more seconds then glanced over her shoulder with a look of mock irritation.

"Stop hovering. You're making me nervous."

Maura laughed. It felt so good to laugh. The past month had been a complete nightmare and she was thankful to be back in Boston and spending time with Jane. She took a slow step towards Jane. "Is that so?" She asked coyly. She took another step so there were only a few inches separating the two women.

Jane was trying hard to keep a straight face. She raised a soap-covered hand and brushed a curl out of her eyes. "I'm serious. Don't come any closer…"

Maura leaned in close to Jane's ear and whispered. "Or else?" She watched appreciatively as Jane shivered under her hot breath. Without warning, Jane spun around, her wet and soapy hands grasping Maura's thin waist. Maura shrieked with laughter as Jane picked her up easily and spun her around, tickling her as she put her down. Both women couldn't contain their laughter and collapsed in a heap on the tile floor. Jane wiped what was left of the suds and water onto Maura's cheeks, laughing louder at Maura's indignant reaction.

Once their laughter died down, Maura turned to look at Jane, finding those deep brown eyes already locked on her. Jane reached up and tucked an errant strand of Maura's blonde hair behind her ear.

"I-I missed you Jane." Maura whispered, her eyes flicking down to Jane's lips and back up to those gorgeous brown eyes. Jane continued to study her, as if trying to memorize every detail of her face. Maura blushed under the intense scrutiny.

"Maur? I'm going to kiss you." Jane stated simply, leaning in slightly. Maura could smell her shampoo and the clean scent of her bodywash. Her breath hitched as Jane leaned a little closer.

"Please do." Maura breathed, grasping the front of Jane's t-shirt and pulling her closer. She felt Jane's warm breath on her face before feeling lips pressed against hers. It didn't take long for the kiss to heat up, and the women spent the rest of the morning getting reacquainted with one another, first in the kitchen and then in the bedroom.


	13. Chapter 13

**So you can thank Hurricane Arthur for being a rainy, windy, asshole and canceling my plans for the 4th, allowing me to finish editing this chapter.**

**FYI- Even though you are all loving this, (I am too) this story is likely wrapping up in 2-3 more chapters, but I am toying with the idea of a sequel. Let me know if that sounds like something you would read or not. **

**Happy reading and Happy 4th of July! I hope that you are all enjoying better weather than me. **

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"Okay, okay…my turn. Umm…alright. I got one. I'd never been on a plane before we went to Vegas." Jane shifted in the bed to see Maura's reaction. She watched in delight as Maura's jaw dropped open.

"Wait, you're telling me that you had never flown _anywhere _before then? Not once? Jane! You're twenty-two years old!" Maura expressed her surprise and indignation at the concept.

The two women were enjoying a lazy afternoon cuddling in Maura's king-size bed. They had fallen asleep for several hours after taking their time exploring each other that morning, and had woken up refreshed and in a playful mood. They were content to just lie there and hold each other, but soon found themselves playing a silly game of "Get to know each other" between gentle touches and playful kisses, both of them enjoying random facts and stories about one another.

"That's easy for you to say Miss-World-Traveler-Extraordinaire!" Jane nipped playfully at Maura's neck. "And I'm twenty-three, I'll have you know." Maura's eyebrows rose in surprise. "I had a birthday when you were gone." Jane whispered, biting at Maura's earlobe as she did, feeling the blonde squirm beside her. Maura inhaled sharply at the feeling and slid away from Jane who groaned at the loss of contact, only to be surprised by Maura perching herself on top, straddling Jane's abdomen. She licked her lips appreciatively at the amazing view above her.

"Well then"- Maura bent down to kiss Jane –"Happy belated birthday. My turn." She straightened back up and scrunched her face up adorably thinking of her next fact. It didn't help that Jane's hands were currently roaming across her back, stopping and grabbing her ass before continuing their journey to other parts of her exposed skin. "Okay. I've never scored below a 94% on any exam. Ever."

Jane's hands stopped wandering and she stared up at Maura in disbelief. Then she burst out into loud laughter, Maura feeling her abdomen contracting underneath her with each peal of laughter. "Oh my god…" Jane continued to laugh. "You are a _nerd_ Maura Isles!"

Maura couldn't help it and joined in with laughter. "I suppose I am…although I always just saw it as enjoying the learning process." She shrieked with laughter as Jane reversed their positions and straddled her.

"'Enjoying the learning process' my ass, Maura. You…"-Jane leaned over to kiss Maura on the forehead- "…are a nerd. Embrace it."

Maura threw her head back into the pillows and laughed again. "Duly noted, Jane. It's your turn." She smiled, watching Jane cock her head and chew her lip as if in deep thought. Suddenly Jane looked nervous and blushed slightly as she looked down at Maura.

"Okay. I've never told anyone this before. Don't laugh." Her gaze was serious, and she slid off Maura and pulled her close. "I want kids. Someday." She buried her face into Maura's chest as if she was embarrassed by her admission. Maura threaded her fingers into Jane's messy curls, and kissed the top of the dark head.

"Why are you embarrassed Jane? Motherhood is a natural, biological urge present in all mature females. It's nothing to laugh at."

Jane was silent for a minute, and Maura eventually felt her pull back from her chest, brown eyes appearing and fixing their gaze on her. "It's just…I don't know, people expect me to be the big bad cop or whatever, and not a lot of people see me as the maternal type, you know? And I would never admit this to my Ma, but I've always dreamed of having a couple kids…somewhere down the line." She wrapped her arms around Maura tighter, and settled against her chest again. "It's stupid…I know." She murmured.

There was a lump in Maura's throat, and she felt a sudden rush of affection for the brunette in her arms. She rolled them over so she was lying directly on top of Jane- their bodies flush with one another. "No Jane." She kissed her hard to emphasize her point. "It's not stupid. It's the farthest thing from it." She cupped Jane's face with both hands, looking into Jane's eyes. "You're absolutely beautiful you know."

"So I've been told…" Jane gave a shy grin and a quick peck on the lips, and then waved her hand, indicating that she wanted Maura to turn over so she could spoon her. Maura sighed as Jane's warm body settled behind her, and she felt Jane pull the sheet over them to protect them from the chilled air blowing from the central air vents. Maura felt Jane's arm slide over her hip and she took the opportunity to link their hands together, playing with Jane's long fingers idly as they enjoyed the nearness of one another.

Maura felt Jane exhale deeply behind her. "Maur? Can I go again? I have one more." She felt Jane's lips brush the nape of her neck, and nodded for Jane to continue. Jane was silent for a couple minutes and Maura assumed she decided against continuing the game. She finally heard Jane take a breath before she spoke again.

"You didn't sign the papers." It was a quiet statement, and Maura barely heard her.

"I'm sorry?" Jane felt Maura stiffen against her.

"The annulment papers. You didn't sign them. I don't know if you forgot, or if you were waiting on me to make a decision…but you didn't sign them." She braced herself for Maura's reaction, not surprised when she felt the blonde wiggle away from her, eventually settling on her back and pulling the sheet up over her. Jane propped herself up on an elbow and watched Maura work through her confusion.

"Hey…talk to me Maura. What's going through that head of yours?" Jane queried gently. "Talk to me."

Maura's voice was shaky and she couldn't bring herself to meet Jane's eyes. "I could have sworn I signed those papers Jane. Ever since I left I have been under the impression that our marriage had ended. It's a bit of a shock to find out that's not the case."

Jane cleared her throat. "I didn't sign them either Maura." She admitted. "I couldn't bring myself to…whatever that means. They're still sitting in my kitchen."

"Oh." Came the monosyllabic reply.

Jane let the information sink in for a while, as she gathered up the courage to ask the question that was weighing heavily in both their minds. Finally she decided to just go for it.

"Look, Maura, would being married _really_ be the worst thing in the world? I don't know about you, but I am honest enough to admit that you and I have something good going between us. Obviously we didn't start out exactly on the right foot, but I like you a lot Maura. Even though we barely know each other, something just feels… right."

Maura finally turned her head and looked at Jane, who could see the fear and apprehension clearly on her face. "I like you too Jane…but we are so young. We don't know the first thing about being married. I mean, how do you expect us to balance my residency and you being a rookie cop? It's awful timing Jane." Maura desperately wanted to be able to agree with Jane and just "go with it," but her logical side was getting the better of her.

Jane groaned in frustration and rolled onto her stomach, yanking a pillow over her head. Both women stayed quiet, trying to figure out how to balance their dreams with their reality. Maura closed her eyes, going through several 'what-if' scenarios in her mind. She undoubtedly wanted to be with Jane, but the idea of being married to her seemed so final and definite. There was still so much she didn't know about Jane…even though the things she did know about her, she found extremely attractive.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jane pull the pillow off her head and rest her chin on her hands. "I have a proposition." Jane announced. "Hear me out, okay?"

Maura nodded, intrigued by the look on Jane's face.

"Six months. Let's give it six months. We can date, see how a relationship works between our stressful careers…test the waters a bit. And after six months, if it isn't working out, we sign the papers. I'm just not ready to let this go just yet."

Maura sat up slowly and pulled her knees to her chest. She mulled the seemingly crazy idea over in her head. "So you're proposing a trial period, more or less? Were you thinking we would live together during the six months?" Maura was surprised by how the idea was sounding better and better the more she thought about it.

Jane sat up too, folding her long legs under her. She shrugged. "We don't have to. I guess if after a couple months we felt like it, we could. My lease is month-to-month, so that leaves me flexible…" She watched Maura for several seconds, feeling as though she could see the wheels turning in Maura's head.

Maura bit her lip. Finally, she looked up at Jane, and pushing the nagging doubts away for the time being, gave her a shy smile. Being proactive with her mother had turned out to be the best decision she had made in her adult life, and that had given her the confidence to be proactive now.

"Yes." Her voice was barely more than a whisper, and she cleared her throat and repeated herself, stronger this time. "Yes. Let's do it."

Jane scooted closer to Maura, taking Maura's hands in hers. She looked serious as she leaned in, her eyes searching Maura's for any signs of hesitation. "Do you mean it? Six months?"

Maura didn't immediately respond, instead pushing back the sheet and getting out of the bed, not caring that she was stark naked. She held out her hand to Jane, and pulled her out of the bed as well. "Come with me."

Holding Jane's hand firmly in hers, they walked down the stairs into her kitchen. Maura opened several of the kitchen drawers, searching for-and finally locating- a red Sharpie marker. She pulled Jane around the corner to where a large calendar was tacked to the wall. Jane watched as Maura counted out six months, flipping the large pages over in turn. Finally, she stopped on the month of January, her index finger sliding counting until she reached January 24th, which would be exactly six months to the day. Maura uncapped the red marker and drew a large red circle around the day. She put the cap back on and tossed the marker onto the granite counter. She turned back to Jane.

"Does that answer your question?" Maura raised one eyebrow.

A grin spread across the brunette's face, she chuckled softly. "You could have just said yes like a normal person Maura…" Maura had to laugh as Jane rolled her eyes, and gasped as Jane suddenly pulled her close, hugging her tightly. Sighing, Maura buried her face into Jane's neck.

"Hey Maura?"

Maura tilted her face so she could see Jane. "Yes?"

"What are you doing tomorrow night? I'd like to take my _wife_ out on a date." Jane smirked, her eyes gleaming mischievously as she looked down at Maura, whose heart fluttered at the use of the word "wife."

Maura smiled broadly, eyes sparkling as she planted a kiss on Jane's cheek. "I'd love to Jane."

"Good." Jane nodded her approval, grinning like a fool. She kissed Maura on the forehead and released her, looking around the kitchen at the forgotten dishes from this morning.

Maura glanced up at the clock. "Jane, it's a little after five, and since we forgot to eat lunch because we were…" She was cut off by long arms wrapping around her waist from behind, hands splayed on her stomach.

"Oh, I ate lunch alright…" Jane growled, kissing the side of Maura's neck.

"Jane!" Maura pulled at Jane's hands, escaping from the embrace, and feeling flustered by Jane's suggestive comment. Jane chuckled as a blush crept across Maura's chest and face. "What I was _trying_ to say is that I'm hungry and was thinking we could order takeout. Do you want to stay for dinner?"

"I could be persuaded." Jane wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, causing Maura to laugh.

"I'll take that as a yes. The menus are in the third drawer on the right."


	14. Chapter 14

**Ok, as mentioned yesterday, we are coming to the end of this bad boy. One more proper chapter after this, and I'm working on an epilogue to tie it all up nicely. Sounds like people are wanting a sequel, so I will definitely start thinking about that as well.**

**As always, thanks so much for your comments. I thought I had a good idea when I started this, but was unprepared for such a positive response. Happy reading :)**

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Maura stirred first the following morning, blinking sleepily in the sunlight streaming through the windows of her bedroom. Rolling over, she was greeted by the sight of a still-unconscious Jane, sprawled out in the expanse of the bed, her face peaceful as she continued to sleep away. Even though both women had spent the better part of twenty-four hours together, and mostly in Maura's bed, she was still wasn't used to waking up with someone in her bed. But Maura smiled at the fact that it was _Jane_ she was waking up next to, and she curled up comfortably and studied the slumbering brunette for several minutes.

As her eyes traced every curve and inch of Jane's smooth, olive-toned skin, she thought back to their conversations from yesterday. Even though the trial period that they had decided on appealed to her logical side, she was unsure of what it meant to be someone's wife. The closest thing Maura had ever had to a long-term relationship was Garret Fairfield, and Maura knew that she only reason she had dated him for as long as she had was because of the pressure from both their families. And this thing with Jane wasn't just a long-term relationship- it was a marriage. For the time being, anyway. The bottom line was, Maura had no idea how to be a wife. But as she watched Jane sleeping peacefully, she decided that she was going to give it her best effort. Something about Jane made Maura want to try. Something about Jane made all of the uncertainty seem worth it.

Maura wasn't sure how long she had been watching Jane for, but eventually she started to stir. Maura watched as long lashes fluttered, eyelids opening to reveal chocolate eyes still hazy with sleep. Jane's eyes focused, scanning the room and taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. Eventually, they settled on Maura, evoking a sleepy grin from the brunette.

"Morning." Jane rumbled, raising a hand and rubbing her eyes. She straightened out her limbs and stretched for several seconds.

"Morning." Maura smiled shyly and leaned in, giving Jane a quick peck on the lips.

"Just so you know"-Jane yawned and sat up in the bed- "I generally don't make it a habit of spending twenty-four hours at someone's house…especially when about twenty-three and a half were spent naked." She rubbed her eyes again. "But then again…I could get used to this." She admitted, her eyes fixing on Maura, this time much clearer. "I should probably go. I need a shower."

Maura nodded, and watched Jane slide out from under the sheet and out of the bed. She couldn't help but stare at the lean, naked body on display in front of her, groaning internally as Jane picked up her clothes and put them on one by one. Naked Jane was truly a sight to behold, and Maura shivered imperceptibly remembering the steamy sex they had last night after finishing their pizza. Pushing the images out of her mind, she slid to the edge of the bed and stood, pulling her robe from her closet door and slipping it on.

"You don't have to go you know." Maura stated, tightening the silk sash around her slim waist.

"Maura, as much as I have enjoyed spending time with you, I think we both need our space to process things. We talked about some pretty heavy things yesterday." Jane picked up her phone from the nightstand and slipped it into the back pocket of her jeans. "And besides, I have a hot date with this gorgeous blonde I know tonight that I need to get ready for." She flashed Maura a broad smile.

Maura returned the smile. "Let me walk you out."

Jane followed Maura out of the master suite and downstairs. She retrieved her car keys from the counter and slid on her shoes. Once she finished tying the laces, she straightened up. "I was thinking maybe catching a movie and then a walk around the common. If I pick you up at six, is that okay?"

"That sounds perfect." Maura replied, sliding over the deadbolt and opening the door. Jane stepped outside, surprised by how hot it was already. She turned to face Maura, suddenly shy and unable to think of what to say.

"So…I guess I'll see you later then?" Jane turned and started to walk down the steps, only to have Maura's hand grab hers, spinning her around. Suddenly, Maura's lips were on hers, moving gently but with purpose. It was over too quickly for Jane's taste, and Maura pulled back, blushing.

"Bye Jane." Maura released Jane's hand and watched as Jane nimbly hopped down the last few steps and over to her Jeep. Maura watched Jane pull away, waving until the blue Jeep disappeared around the corner.

* * *

True to her word, Jane picked Maura up precisely at 6pm. She had managed to find a theater downtown that was running a marathon showing of the Planet Earth series, figuring that Maura would appreciate the educational aspect of the film. And Jane knew that she would enjoy it as well, having seen a few of the episodes when she found herself channel surfing. _Who doesn't enjoy watching a pride of lions stalk then devour an antelope…right?_-Jane thought to herself. As they entered the theater, both women were grateful Jane had chosen an indoor activity, as Boston had experienced record high temperatures that afternoon. Jane insisted on buying some candy and popcorn, ignoring Maura's protests about the high levels of sodium and sugar. But as they settled into their seats, Jane wasn't surprised when Maura's hand slid slowly into the popcorn bucket several times.

It wasn't a very interactive date, but both Jane and Maura enjoyed the two segments they watched. They also enjoyed holding hands and stealing a few kisses. When the second segment was over, Jane nodded toward the exit. Maura got the hint and they exited the theater back out onto the street. The sun was just beginning to set, and the temperature was finally dropping. Maura felt Jane grasp her hand as they slowly sauntered along the Boston streets toward the Common, chatting idly as they did. Along, the way, they stopped for ice cream, enjoying the cool treat as they entered the Common. Eventually they settled on a bench, sitting close despite the heat.

"This was fun Jane. I have the boxed set of that series, but seeing it on the big screen makes it much move vivid." Maura licked at her mocha ice cream that was dripping down the back of her hand.

Jane smiled. "Of course you do. I should have known. You are a nerd after all. I'm glad you enjoyed it though. How's your ice cream?"

Maura's eyes lit up. "Really good. Want to taste?" She held up the cone. Jane hesitated, then leaned over and swiped her tongue along the cold confection.

"Wow, that is pretty good. Try mine." She offered her cone of butter pecan for Maura to taste, grinning appreciatively as Maura lingered seductively as she swiped her tongue over the ice cream. She managed to get some on her chin, and Jane was all too happy to lean in and clean it up for her, adding a few extra kisses along Maura's jaw line. Both women were smiling as Jane returned to her normal position, silent once again as the sun continued to set, dusk settling over the city shortly after.

Jane stood to throw out their cone wrappers, and held out her hand as she returned to the bench. Maura was all too happy to oblige and the two resumed their walk around the common.

"Can I ask you a question?" Maura turned to look at Jane and nodded. "Actually…I have two questions."

"Well now…"-Maura teased- "Two might be pushing it." Jane chuckled lightly beside her.

"My wife…the joker." Jane said dryly. "I'm suddenly re-thinking this whole marriage thing…" She teased back. She raised a hand in mock surrender as Maura shot a fierce glare at her. "I'm kidding, of course."

"What did you want to ask me?" Maura steered them back onto topic, genuinely curious about what Jane was thinking.

"Oh…right. Well, I wanted to know what was going to happen with your residency program. You know…since you missed the first month and all. I'm just trying to get a sense of how we are going to make this work between us and stuff." Jane glanced quickly at Maura.

"Well, luckily I had a chance to speak to my faculty advisor before I left for Paris and he was quite understanding of my extenuating circumstances. Obviously, I will start on Monday, but will be behind quite a bit. We managed to work it out so that two of the weeks I was gone will be taken out of my allotted four weeks of vacation time."

Jane nodded. "And the other two weeks?"

"Well, that's the tricky part." Maura sighed. "I am going to have to work extra hours to make it up. That's why I was so hesitant to do this whole trial-marriage thing, because I knew I would be working long hours to catch up with my peers. What if we never see each other?"

Jane released Maura's hand, instead placing her arm gently around the blonde's shoulders and pulling her into her side. "We'll figure it out. We'll make it work." She said confidently, feeling Maura relax against her. "This might sound crazy, but I think this thing between us is going to be worth fighting for in the end."

Maura contemplated that statement, hoping that it would turn out to be true after the six months were up. Not wanting to dwell on the uncertainties, Maura turned to Jane. "What's your other question?"

"What?" She caught Jane intently studying her face.

"Your other question. You said you had two."

"Right. Um…so my family gets together most Sundays for dinner." Jane kicked a small rock as they walked, sending it skittering away in front of them.

"That was a statement, not a question." Maura bit her lip to stifle her laughter as Jane rolled her eyes.

"Thank you Doctor Isles. What I meant to say is that you should come too. Tomorrow is Sunday. I'd like you to meet my family. Well…you already know Frankie, but I'd like you to meet Ma and Tommy. Who knows, maybe Pop will be there too." Jane knew it wasn't likely her father would be there since things were, well, complicated between her parents, but now wasn't the time to explain all the sordid details to Maura. "I mean…if you already have plans, you don't have to of course but…"

Jane's nervous ramblings were cut off as Maura suddenly stopped walking, causing Jane to stop too. Jane opened her mouth to speak, but was halted by Maura's lips pressing against hers. Jane's hands wrapped around the small of Maura's back, pulling her closer, and responding eagerly to the kiss, earning a quiet moan from Maura as a reward. Jane could taste the sweetness of the lingering mocha ice cream on Maura's lips. They were oblivious to the people around them, enjoying the blissful connection between the two of them. Jane eventually broke the kiss, knowing that if they continued, they would soon be past the point of no return, and rested her forehead against Maura's, both women struggling to regain their breath.

"You are adorable when you are flustered, Jane Rizzoli." Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's waist, turning her head to the side so her cheek rested against her chest. Maura felt the vibrations as Jane laughed quietly.

"I've been called a lot of things in my lifetime, but 'adorable' isn't one of them Maur." She kissed the top of the blonde head and released her gently. Maura immediately reached for Jane's hand and they continued their walk along the quickly darkening Common.

"Jane?"

"Yeah Maur."

"I'd love to meet your family tomorrow." She squeezed Jane's hand as Jane turned to make sure Maura was serious.

Realizing that Maura was being serious, Jane grinned, her dimples prominently on display. She leaned across the space between them and kissed Maura's cheek softly.

"Alright then."


	15. Chapter 15

Jane could tell that Maura was nervous as soon as she opened the door to her apartment and took one glance at the blonde standing there. Most weeks, Jane's family got together at her parent's house. But, since Jane had anticipated that Maura would likely feel nervous or overwhelmed, she managed to convince Angela that having dinner at her apartment would be easier. To help ease Maura into the situation, Jane had her arrive a few hours before everyone else. Besides, Jane had some details about her crazy family that she wanted to go over with Maura before they all got there.

Jane smiled as widely as she could, hoping to allay some of Maura's apprehension. "Maura. Hi. Come on in." She followed Maura closely, resting her hand on the small of her back and leading her into the kitchen, even though Maura had been to her apartment before. "It's another hot one out there, huh?" Jane walked over to the stove to check the pot of sauce that had been cooking away for several hours.

"Mhmm." Maura murmured her agreement. She placed her purse on the counter and looked around the kitchen, unsure of what to do. The nerves had been fluttering in her stomach since she woke up, and now that she was actually at Jane's apartment, the unsettled feeling was only becoming intensified.

Jane turned from the sauce on the stove to find Maura standing against the counter, looking lost. In a couple steps, she reached the blonde, not hesitating to wrap her arms around her, feeling the smaller woman melt into the embrace. "Don't be nervous." She whispered, rubbing circles on Maura's back. "I'm nervous too." She admitted. "I've never had my family meet anyone I was dating before."

When Maura pulled back, Jane could see the worried creases on her forehead had eased out a bit. "Really?"

Jane nodded. "Yup. You're the first. And hopefully the last." Both women started to blush at Jane's honest statement. Maura tucked her head against Jane's soft t-shirt again, allowing Jane's hand movements to continue easing her stress away. "I know they're gonna love you Maura." She said quietly, feeling Maura sigh against her chest.

After a few minutes, Jane felt one of Maura's hands slide from its position around her neck, down her shoulder and forearm, eventually grasping her hand. She looked down and saw Maura's fingers intertwined with hers. Maura pulled their joined hands upwards, holding them in a position almost as if they were dancing, playing gently with Jane's fingers as she did. Her movements stilled, and she stepped out of the embrace, still holding Jane's hand in hers.

"Do you still have the rings?" Maura asked timidly. "You know…our rings?" She blushed, not sure why she felt the need to ask this question at this particular time.

Jane felt her heart tug at Maura's question. Instead of responding, she led Maura to her bedroom, sitting down on the edge of her bed and pulling Maura down beside her. She leaned forward, opening the bedside table and rummaging around until she felt cool metal under her fingertips. She closed her hand around them and pulled back out, tipping her palm upwards and unfolding her hand, revealing the two matching rings in the center of her palm. Jane watched Maura inspect the rings, before reaching a tentative hand toward them.

"C-can I?" She asked, looking up at Jane, who smiled in response.

"Of course. One of 'ems yours, after all." She watched Maura inspect the rings, trying both of them on much like Jane had a few weeks ago.

Maura handed the larger ring back to Jane and slid the one that was hers onto her finger slowly, wrinkling her nose at how the cool band felt on her finger. They were beautiful rings, yellow gold with inlaid platinum. Maura had found out just how expensive they were when she saw her credit card statement after Las Vegas. She wiggled her fingers, watching the ring gleam in the sunlight. Jane chuckled lightly beside her at her reaction.

"Feels heavy, doesn't it?" Maura nodded, watching Jane slide her ring onto her finger as well. "I tried mine on a few times while you were gone."

Maura twisted the ring around her finger several times, trying to get used to the feeling of it. Jane reached over and placed her hand over Maura's, effectively stilling her nervous movements. "You don't have to wear it, you know. It can go back into that drawer until you're ready." Jane ran a hand through her hair nervously.

Maura felt a surge of affection for Jane. Ever since she stepped through the door, she had been nothing but wonderful to her, comforting her and making her feel cared for. Suddenly Maura was struck by how cared for she was. No one had ever made her feel that way before. She could feel tears stinging her eyes and she blinked them away, shaking her head as she did so.

Jane took Maura's head shake as a refusal to wear the ring. "Its fine Maur. You aren't ready yet. I'll just…" The crestfallen look on her face was too much for Maura to bear and she shook her head emphatically as Jane began to get up from the bed.

"No! No…Jane, I _want_ to wear it!" She reached out a hand and pulled Jane back, standing so she could look Jane in the eyes. She placed her left hand gently over Jane's heart, her gaze fixed solemnly on those expressive brown eyes. "I _want_ to wear it." She repeated. "I want to try…to be a wife. Your wife. And I when I start my residency tomorrow, I want people to know I'm married."

Jane couldn't help but reach up and cup her wife's soft cheeks, Maura jumping as her wedding band made contact with her warm skin. She held Maura's face gently and held her gaze, entranced by the sincerity present in those shimmering hazel eyes. The two women held the emotional gaze, neither one wanting to break the connection. Finally, Maura leaned in and kissed Jane deeply, wanting to convey her true feelings in the clearest way possible. Finally, she felt Jane's lips curling in to a smile against hers, and she pulled back. Jane took a hold of Maura's left hand and brought it up to her lips giving the ring a soft kiss.

"Thank you Maura." Jane's voice was hoarse as she kissed the ring again. "Come on. I wanna teach you how to make gnocchi." She was still smiling as she led Maura slowly out of the bedroom.

"Jane?" Maura glanced down at the ring on her finger once again.

"Yeah?"

"Did you keep the rings in that drawer the whole time? Shouldn't they have been kept somewhere more…secure?"

Jane frowned as she pulled the necessary items for making gnocchi out of a lower cabinet. "Uh, yeah. Why? I mean, we got 'em at our quickie wedding, they can't have cost more than fifteen bucks." Her voice echoed as she stuck her head into the cabinet, searching for the flour that was in the back.

Maura bit her lip, wondering if she should come clean about the cost of the rings. She knew she couldn't lie, so she sucked in a breath and went for it.

"These rings are solid gold and platinum, Jane. They cost several thousand dollars…each." Maura could feel her face burning.

There was a solid thump as Jane's head hit the top of the cabinet, hard. "Fuck!" She hissed, extricating herself from the cabinet and rubbing her head. "You've gotta be shitting me." She said, looking up at Maura in disbelief, before yanking the ring off her finger and giving it a closer inspection.

Maura tried not to laugh at Jane's bewildered expression. "I've never really understood that expression." She admitted. "But no…I'm not _shitting_ you. It was truly quite the shock when the bill for those showed up on my credit card statement."

"Jesus Christ Maura!" Jane stood up, still rubbing the back of her head. "I know you said you had money when we were in bed the other night, but just how rich are you that you dropped several grand on rings for a Vegas wedding?" She flinched as Maura's hands settled around her neck, finding hazel eyes looking up at her with an amused gleam.

"Calm down Jane. I'm pretty sure the astounding amount of alcohol had something to do with the decision. Now, teach me how to make these gnocchi I've heard so much about and we'll talk about it." She gave Jane a quick peck on the lips and turned to inspect the sauce that was bubbling on the stove, emitting a deliciously savory fragrance. Jane was still somewhat dazed by the recent revelation, but was quickly snapped out of it by the sight of a certain blonde licking marinara sauce off her finger. Jane grinned and started to measure out flour, her smile growing wider when she felt Maura's shoulders touch hers, as the blonde settled in next to her against the counter.

"So?" Maura looked at her expectantly. "Show me what to do."

"Okay…but, this is a secret family recipe, so don't just go blabbing it to anyone." Jane teased. "Got it?"

Maura smiled and rolled up her sleeves, executing a mock salute once she was finished. "Got it."

* * *

A couple hours later, Angela Rizzoli knocked on the door to Jane's apartment, her hand twisting the doorknob even before she heard a muffled "come in" from inside the apartment. As she entered the sweltering apartment, she was greeted by a sight that made her heart catch in her throat. Her daughter was pressed up against the back of a beautiful blonde, her chin resting on the woman's shoulder. Jane's arms were threaded through the space between the other woman's arms and body, her flour-covered hands resting over smaller ones, kneading the gnocchi dough gently. Both women were smiling broadly, and the blonde threw her head back against Jane and laughed at something her daughter had said. She watched in fascination for several seconds, entranced by how happy and relaxed Jane seemed. Jane paused to flick a curl out of her face, and then returned her hands to their position over the blonde's, but not before pressing a kiss to the side of the blonde's neck.

When Jane had called her yesterday to tell her she wanted her family to meet Maura, Angela was surprised, but also a little skeptical. She had seen how upset and unsettled Jane was after Maura had left so unexpectedly. When Jane called her last night, she was shocked to not only find that Maura had returned, but that Jane and her were working through things and had decided to stay together. However, nothing surprised Angela more than then happy look on her daughter's face right now. Jane had, of course, admitted that she had feelings for Maura when Angela had found out a month ago, but looking at the way the two women were interacting, she knew it was more than feelings.

Her Janie was in love.

"Ma! Earth to Ma!" Jane's voice startled Angela.

Jane was amused to find her mother looking back at her with a strange, faraway look in her eyes. Angela finally cleared her throat and smiled as Jane leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek, noticing the wedding band that was on Jane's finger right away. She clutched her daughter's hand before Jane could pull it away, running her thumb over the wedding band, and Jane gave a sheepish smile and shrugged. Angela suddenly felt the need to hug her daughter, and threw her arms around Jane, pulling her close. The unexpected movement caused Jane to be slightly off-balance, but she quickly recovered. Angela gave her one more squeeze, and then released her.

"I'm glad you're here Ma. Come meet Maura." Jane put an arm around her mother's shoulders and led her towards her smiling wife.

* * *

When her family finally left, Jane collapsed on the couch. Yawning deeply, she raised her head, seeing Maura standing at the sink washing dishes. Jane grinned, the image of Maura doing dishes in her kitchen seeming somehow foreign, but also familiar. It was so…domestic. Secretly, Jane loved the idea of the two of them doing things that married couples did every day…making meals together, taking baths together, vacationing together. _We'll get there some day_ Jane thought wistfully.

"Maura, you don't have to do those. Leave 'em. I'll do them in the morning." Jane called. "Come here." She waved her hand, beckoning Maura over.

Maura complied, drying her hands on a dish towel and walking over to the couch. She giggled as Jane reached up with both hands and pulled her down on top of her. They moved around until they found a comfortable position, eventually settling in facing each other, which was difficult to achieve on the narrow couch. Both women sighed as they enjoyed being close to one another, and Maura reached out her hand to settle on Jane's hip.

"Hi." Jane said sleepily.

"Hi." Maura smiled in return. Her fingers toyed with the hem of Jane's t-shirt.

"So I think it's unanimous. You were a big hit."

"Really?"

Jane responded with a chaste kiss. "Yup. Ma told me that if it didn't work out between you and I, _she_ would marry you to keep you in the family."

Both women laughed, and Maura breathed a sigh of relief.

"I had fun tonight Jane. Your family is wonderful." Maura brushed a curl off Jane's forehead, smiling as Jane yawned again. "I'm not used to the dynamics between siblings so it was fun to watch the interactions between you and your brothers."

"Yeah, well our 'interactions' have relaxed quite a bit from our childhood. You wouldn't have enjoyed witnessing a lot of the shit that happened when the three of us were growing up." Jane smirked.

"You know…from a few of the stories your mother told, I think that's probably true." Maura conceded. "I can't believe you tried to skateboard off the roof." She laughed. "You're lucky you only ended up with a broken wrist."

"I told you, that was Frankie's idea! Man, he's never gonna let me live that one down." Jane's smile faded as she studied Maura for several seconds.

"What is it Jane?"

Jane closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I just wish we had more time together, just the two of us before your residency starts." Her eyes opened again. "I just wish we had more time."

Maura sighed, knowing full well that she had to be at Mass Gen at 6am for rounds, which was only nine hours away and fast approaching. "Me too Jane." She moved her hand to Jane's face, tipping it up with one finger so they were face to face again. "I promise that when I am not at the hospital, I am all yours. You have my undivided attention, whether you want to go out on a date, just cuddle up together and watch a movie, or…_other_ things." She studied the brunette intently, taking in every detail on Jane's face. "I'm yours." She breathed, running her finger along Jane's cheek.

Jane closed the distance between them, kissing Maura lightly on the lips, then nuzzling her face against Maura's shirt, breathing in the scent that even in the short time they have known each other, smells like home.

"I'm yours too Maura. All yours."


	16. Chapter 16

_Christmas Eve – 5 months later_

"Hurry up Maur! It's starting!" Jane called, from her position on Maura's couch. She glanced over her shoulder to see her wife dumping popcorn from the microwave into a bowl. "This is like, the _one_ night we have together for the next three weeks and Rudolph is starting! Get your ass over here!"

"Okay, okay! If _someone_ hadn't insisted we had to have popcorn right at the last minute, we wouldn't be in this situation." Maura tried to glare at Jane, but ended up cracking a smile when Jane rolled her eyes.

Maura padded over to the couch, placing the large bowl of popcorn on the table. Jane lifted the large fleece blanket in invitation, and Maura slid under it without hesitation, curling up against Jane's side. Out of habit, she reached for Jane's hand to hold. "What are we watching again?"

"Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer. This movie is a classic, and I am personally offended by the fact that you have never seen it." Jane emphasized her point with a kiss to Maura's temple, before reaching out for the popcorn bowl. "It's Claymation and kind of cheesy, but it's a Rizzoli Christmas favorite." She offered the bowl to Maura, who stuck her free hand out from under the blanket and grabbed a handful of the salty snack.

Both women had managed to arrange to have Christmas Eve off. They knew that since they were in new positions, they were likely going to be expected to work on Christmas and New Years, so that the more senior doctors and officers could spend time with their families. Even though Jane had basically been living at Maura's for the last few months (_officially_ since the beginning of December), they hadn't had much time together, and were enjoying a low-key night in each other's company. They had gotten together with family for a late lunch, and had enjoyed a raucous gift exchange with Frankie and Tommy, capped off by a rare appearance from Frank Sr. It was fun, but both Jane and Maura were looking forward to spending some alone time together, which Jane had decided would start with introducing Maura to classic Christmas movies.

As the movie played, Jane found herself focusing on Maura instead of the movie. She watched as Maura reacted to different parts of the movie, a smile playing across her own lips each time her wife laughed or smiled. Eventually, Maura caught on to Jane's scrutiny, blushing as she met Jane's gaze. Maura reached out and paused the movie.

"What?"

"Nothing." Jane put the bowl of popcorn back onto the coffee table. She leaned back against the cushions, pulling Maura with her as they reclined a little more. Maura settled in easily against Jane's chest, and Jane reached up and tangled her hand in soft blonde waves. Her eyes scanned the room, stopping on the large Christmas tree that Maura had woken her up extra early to cut down and then decorate a few days ago. Angela had given Jane some of her childhood ornaments, which looked a little out of place among the expensive glass ornaments that Maura had purchased. In the end, it was Maura who insisted the handmade ornaments be put onto the tree, and couldn't be convinced otherwise. There were a few small gifts under the tree that were the next item on the agenda after the movie.

As Jane twirled a strand of Maura's hair around her finger, she continued her scan of the room. She had only been officially moved in for three weeks, but there had been evidence of Jane living here for much longer. Her collection of DVD's had been added to Maura's, her laptop was charging on the floor beside the coffee table. Jane's favorite hockey stick was leaning in the corner of the entryway, with her beat-up hockey skates resting nearby. Her boots lay next to a pair of Maura's favorite heels, her uniform cap hanging on a hook several feet directly above. As Jane took in all of her things around the room, the one thing that was the most important and made her feel like she was home was snuggled up against her. Maura.

It certainly had not been easy, juggling their relationship between two careers that took so much out of them. There had been a three-week span around Thanksgiving where they had seen each other for a total of fifteen hours. Jane had come home after her shift one night to wake up Maura and announce she was moving in. But as they had settled into their jobs and responsibilities, they had also settled into their relationship. When they were together, it was easy. Laughter was a common occurrence, and it hadn't taken Maura long to catch on to Jane's sarcasm, often responding to it with an eye-roll that Jane loved. Comfort became something they sought out, finding themselves wrapped around each other more often than not, usually in bed.

Jane kissed the top of Maura's head, watching Maura's eyelashes flutter as her eyes opened. Maura shifted onto her stomach, settling directly on top of Jane so she could look at her.

"What are you thinking about?" Maura brought her hands up and rested her chin on them.

Jane smiled affectionately. "You." She admired the gorgeous woman on top of her.

Maura returned the smile, albeit a sleepy one. "Oh? And what about me?"

"I love you." Jane traced along the slope of Maura's jaw with the back of her finger. She had known it for a long time, but hadn't said those words to Maura before.

Hearing those words, Maura struggled to contain her emotions. Joyful tears began to well up in her eyes, and she blinked them back as she moved to sit up, straddling Jane. Capturing Jane's face between both hands gently, she leaned in and kissed her wife long and hard. Pulling back, she let out something that sounded like a mixture between a sob and a laugh.

"I love you too Jane." Maura laughed at how good those words sounded. She brushed the tears away with the back of her hand and leaned in for another sweet kiss. "I love you so much."

Tears stung in Jane's eyes too, but she grinned broadly at the woman perched on her lap. She couldn't imagine being happier than she felt right now. She was having a hard time forming words, but managed to put herself together after a few more seconds. "So does this mean our trial marriage was a success?" She struggled to sit up with Maura still straddling her. "I mean, you just told me you loved me…so that sounds pretty clear to me…"

Suddenly, Maura slid off her lap and Jane tried to grab her and bring her back. Maura slapped her hands away and moved toward the tree.

"I'm just getting something. One second." Jane watched her locate an envelope tucked beside the tree stand and move back to the couch. Maura settled on top of Jane again and offered the envelope to Jane.

"I thought we were doing presents later Maur." Jane looked up at her inquisitively.

"We are. I just thought this one seemed appropriate for right now. Just open it." She urged.

Maura watched Jane slide one finger under the flap and open the envelope. Tucked inside was a card. Jane opened the card and a folded paper fell out.

"Read the card first." Maura urged.

Jane followed directions.

_Merry Christmas, my beautiful wife. _

_Every day I wake up next to you and feel like the luckiest woman in the world. Six months ago, I didn't see this kind of happiness in my future, but then you came along and changed everything, even if it was in the most unexpected way possible. Thank you for the best months of my life Jane, I can't wait to experience the coming months and years with you by my side. _

_With all my love,_

_Maura_

_PS-I burned the annulment papers weeks ago._

Jane let out a loud laugh at the last line, looking up from the card and finding Maura watching her. It wasn't until Maura swiped her thumb across Jane's cheek that she realized she had been crying. She reached up and held Maura's wrist, keeping her hand in place against her cheek, savoring the soft touch of Maura's skin against hers.

"There's more." Maura said softly, nodding at the piece of paper that had fallen onto the floor. Jane took a deep breath to steady herself, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the intense emotions she was feeling. She reached out her hand and picked up the paper. She unfolded it slowly, and began to scan it. Maura had to smile when she saw Jane's eyes widen at what she was reading.

"Is this what I think it is?" Jane looked up from the paper before starting to read it again. When she finished reading it for a second time, she looked up at Maura for confirmation. "You changed your name?"

It was Maura's turn to let out a loud laugh, smiling and laughing and nodding her head. A couple of days ago she managed to sneak away on her lunch break to submit the paperwork to change her name. She had been contemplating it for a while, and had decided it would make a great Christmas gift for Jane. She had been right, as Jane's giddy reaction was certainly making the hassle worth it.

"Maura Isles-Rizzoli. Oh. My. God. I can't believe you did this!" Jane's mouth was hanging open comically. Maura silenced her with a kiss.

"I figured there was no better way to let you know how serious I was about this than to change my name. It's better to do it now versus later in my career when I am an established Medical Examiner." She shrugged. "Dr. Maura Isles-Rizzoli…it has a nice ring to it, I think."

Jane's arms wrapped tightly around Maura's waist, pulling her in tightly against Jane's body. "I love you Maura Isles-Rizzoli. I love you so much." Jane's hands slid under Maura's pajama top, roaming across smooth skin as she captured Maura's lips in a searing kiss. It didn't take long for Maura to respond in kind, her tongue dancing seductively across Jane's lips before slipping inside. Maura felt Jane's long fingers unbuttoning her pajama top, and pulled away from the kiss briefly.

"What about the movie?" She asked breathlessly.

Her top was discarded over the back of the couch seconds later, and Jane pulled her in for another heated kiss. "It can wait." She growled, yanking her own top off above her head. "Right now I'm giving my irresistibly sexy wife her present." Maura moaned as Jane's hands made their way over her abdomen and up toward her breasts, igniting a fire deep within her body.

* * *

Maura lay sprawled across the bed, panting heavily as she watched the hand of the clock tick closer to midnight. The sweat on her skin was starting to dry, and goosebumps started to appear on her skin from the cool air. She watched the clock hands pass the twelve, indicating that it was now officially Christmas. Shivering slightly, she scooted over to a very sleepy Jane and pulled the comforter over both of their naked bodies. Jane opened her eyes as they snuggled together under the warm blankets.

"Merry Christmas Jane." Maura kissed her forehead, and Jane responded by wrapping her arms around Maura tightly.

"Merry Christmas Maura. Love you." Jane returned the kiss, placing a gentle one on Maura's lips.

They were still for several minutes, and their breathing evened out. Maura trailed her fingertips against Jane's upper arm, not ready to surrender this moment with her wife to sleep just yet.

"Jane?"

"Hmm?" Came the sleepy reply.

"Do you ever regret anything about this? About us?"

In the dark, Maura could see Jane crack one eye open. It shut again after a few seconds. Maura felt Jane exhale slowly beside her.

"Maura, the only thing I regret about you and I was that I missed the first ten hours of our marriage because we were drunk. I never want to miss one second with you, and I'll never get that time back." Jane replied quietly. She opened both eyes to look at Maura, wanting to gauge her reaction to Jane's response.

A slow smile spread across Maura's face, and she nuzzled her face into Jane's chest, pressing a kiss between Jane's breasts. "I love you." She murmured against warm skin.

"I love you too Maura."

* * *

**A truly heartfelt thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who took the time to read this story. You are all so incredibly encouraging, and I wish that I had time to respond to each and every one of you. Your comments and even your criticism helped this story to become what it is. **

**Some of you expressed your wishes for me to just continue this story instead of writing a sequel. I feel like the story arc I was going for has finished, which is why I am ending this and not just continuing. But, I do plan on starting work on a sequel, probably picking the story up a couple of years later, when Maura is finishing her residency and Jane is moving up into undercover work or whatever. I don't know when I will start writing it, but keep an eye out, I don't think I will wait too long. **

**So thank you again for reading. I hope you enjoyed it!**


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